A Fleeting Feeling
by Chris Rode
Summary: It was supposed to be a joke, but it turned out to be so much more. I was completely taken aback by the events of just one curious night that changed my life forever... AkatsukixOC *LEMONS IN FUTURE CHAPTERS* Rated M for sexual content and, well...Hidan :3
1. Chapter 1

"You realize this is absolute bullshit, right?" I asked, holding up the slip of paper on which was the website address my friend, Samantha, gave me. She shrugged.

"Try it and see what happens. Just trust me on this, okay?" She advised as we walked down the halls of our middle school. We'd just gotten here on our bus and we walking to our homeroom.

"Well, if you're so confident it'll work, how come you haven't tried it?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She snorted.

"I don't wanna be the first one to try it and have some creepy-ass pedophile jump out of my computer and rape me or something." She said, as if it were the obvious answer. I glared at her.

"And yet you want me to test it?" I asked; she nodded. I laughed. That was so typical of her. But, this was a complete load of bullshit, so I'd humor her for today.

So the day passed and nothing particularly exciting happened. Social studies was especially boring, though, since all we did was take notes again. Sigh, why , why?

So I got on the bus and walked home by myself, being an only child. I actually lived on my own now. My parents died when I was younger, and my grandmother offered to take me in, but I refused. But, because it was either that or a foster home, I told the orphanage people I still lived with her even though she helped me set up my own place well a ways away. I worked for my own money and she helped me pay the bills. I was practically an adult, at only the age of fourteen.

Anyway, on the side of that note, I went into my room, as per usual. I started up my slow-as-hell laptop, and then I remembered the website. I scoffed and pulled the paper out of my pocket, grinning stupidly at the letters.

"Yeah, right. Samantha, you have officially gone insane." I muttered to myself, scrunching the paper up and bringing it over to the trashcan.

My balled hand idled over the container. What was this? Second thoughts? Ah, jeez. Curse my obsessive compulsion. I sighed and sat back down in front of my computer, unraveling the wrinkled paper.

"See what you did to me? Now I'm all curious and shit..." I muttered to myself again, then laughed. "Okay, maybe this was my fault for being such an anime freak, but whatever. I am so going to laugh at myself for this later." I declared, opening Mozilla Firefox and typing in the web address. How childish...

Basically, from what Samantha told me, it was a website that could, supposedly, transport anime characters into the "real world". Pfft, yeah right. Still, I was completely in love with Naruto, so I just had to take a chance of looking really, really stupid.

The webpage had spaces for the names of the characters you wanted, and then a button that read "transport" below it. There were ten spaces in all, which was more than enough for the people I wanted. Still smirking at myself, I typed in the following names:  
Deidara  
Tobi  
Hidan  
Kakuzu  
Kisame  
Itachi

Then I pressed "transport" (pfft) and waited with my arms crossed. After about ten seconds I rolled my eyes and laughed, closing the tab and opening Facebook. That was possibly the most retarded -


	2. Chapter 2

My thoughts were cut off as I was suddenly knocked from my chair by a strong force. I let out the girliest, most high-pitched scream I'd ever given as the weight fell on top of me.

My plastered-wide eyes focused on the form atop me, realizing it was a person. They'd managed to prop themselves on their hands, hovering above me as their one visible, blue eye stared right back at me. His other was covered by vibrant yellow hair.

I let out another scream, this one probably higher than the last, which was really stretching my vocals. The familiar man shouted in surprise and jumped backwards, falling into my computer chair as he clutched his ears. I scrambled back on the floor until I was pressed up against the wall of my room. Luckily, I was right next to my kunai collection. I reached for one and held it with both hands, pointing at the person that absolutely shouldn't have been in my room.

"Damn! What kind of scream was that, un?! You nearly blasted my eardrums, un." The guy complained, rubbing the sides of his head. I didn't loosen my position. And I was right not to, because another figure suddenly collapsed on top of the first, putting them in the same situation we'd been in.

"Sempai?"

"TOBI! Get off, un!" There was a grappling match between them until the newer one was shoved off of the first. And this time, I did drop the kunai, for my hands were shaking too much to hold it steady. I clutched my head and lowered it into my raised knees, eyes still wide as dinner plates.

"This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This. Isn't. Happening." I told myself over and over, but apparently they heard.

"Oh, it isn't? 'Cause I was fairly certain it was, un." The blonde said sarcastically, causing me to raise my head and glare half-heartedly at him.

"Shut the fuck up! You're not real!" I yelled before returning to my previous state. I refused to look back up at the apparitions in my room.

But I did as four more thumps pounded against the floor.

"OUCH! GET THE FUCK OFF, OLD MAN!"

"Shut up, you immortal zealot."

"What the hell is going on?!"

"All of you, be quiet. It appears we weren't the first here."

The first blonde stood from the body pile on the floor and stretched, probably cramped from being pummeled so many times to the ground. "You got that right. I got here first and then you all came and tackled me to the ground, un." He stated. The rest stood. I remained completely still.

"How did we get here?" A certain black-haired guy asked in a serious tone. The blonde shrugged.

"Hell if I know. I was just walking down the hall when, BAM! I end up in this room, un." He explained. Then he looked over to where my cowering form was. "Oh, and I landed on her somehow. Maybe she knows something, un." Immediately, I was lifted from my crouched position as broad arms put me in a mid-air headlock. I kicked and flailed to the best of my ability, though it did nothing to deter the tall, stitched man restraining me.

"Put me the fuck down!" I yelled angrily, still not ready to accept that this was really happening. As far as I was concerned, a bunch of creepy pedophiles cosplaying my all-time favourite characters had broken into my room somehow. 'Damn you Samantha, you set this up' I thought to myself.


	3. Chapter 3

"Quit struggling, you're under interrogation." The stitched one holding me growled. I scowled at nothing and everyone at the same time.

"Why the fuck would that make me quit struggling?!" I asked irritatedly, not ceasing my movements. The others just watched in what appeared to be amusement, especially the silver-haired one.

"Itachi." The one behind me said to the black-hair. Said person made his way over to me. I froze.

"No! No, wait! I'll stop! Don't do it!" I yelled, turning my gaze away from the approaching man. Even though I still didn't believe any of it, I didn't want to take any chances.

"See? She has to know something, or else she wouldn't have known to avert her eyes from you, un." The blonde said. The others nodded.

"So why don't you tell us where we are, and then who you are." The blue-skinned one said, arms crossed with boredom in his eyes. But I could see behind that. He was genuinely curious as to the answers to his questions. I sighed and went limp.

"I'll tell you, but you have to let me go first." I compromised.

"How do we know you won't fucking run?" The silver-hair asked, whose name screamed inside my mind although I was not ready to say it.

"Trust me, I won't. I...I know I wouldn't be able to get away alive." I admitted quietly. They looked at each other before the stitched one slowly put me down. I crossed my room over to my bed and thought for a moment.

Should I really explain everything to them? No, they're not real, they couldn't be. But they were right there! In my fucking room! And no way was this a dream. I didn't remember falling asleep - I never do when I get home after school. I go straight to my computer like the techno-nerd I am. I chewed on my lip.

Let's say this is real: how would I explain it to them? They were anime characters that suddenly appeared in my room, in the real world. That answer probably wouldn't go so smoothly with them. But what else could I tell them? They'd know if I was lying...

That's it. They'd know if I was lying. I just needed to tell them the truth and they'd know I wasn't lying! Okay, I've made up my mind. I was going to play along until someone brought the cameras out. I looked up at them, meeting the cold, steady eyes one at a time.

"Okay, I'm going to tell you what happened, but it's not going to sound very...realistic. Just...try to keep your minds open, okay?" I asked; they nodded wearily and I took a deep breath. "I went on a website and accidentally summoned you all here by a universal rip or something and now you're all in a world where there aren't any ninja." I said hurriedly before taking another breath and continuing. "You're all anime characters from a manga that shouldn't be real but now you are so please don't hurt me." I finished with a tiny voice as I wearily looked around at them.


	4. Chapter 4

After a moment, one (sigh, Itachi) spoke up.

"So you're saying that we're just fictional characters and you brought us to your world through a gap in time and space?" He asked calmly. I nodded sheepishly. They looked at each, then burst out in laughter.

"Nice story, now tell us the fucking truth." The one I knew to be Hidan said, a chuckle still trailing in his voice. I huffed.

"That was the truth! I'm not lying, you should be able to tell that!" I said angrily. Was my knowledge of Naruto false or something? Oh, please, that's ridiculous. I knew everything there was to know about Naruto. Well, up until episode ninety-five in Shippuden...but, give me a break! I just found a website that played the episodes in English not too long ago! I had plenty knowledge, though, so there.

"She's right..." Itachi said, making me look up at him in surprise, as did everyone else. "She's not giving any signs of lying..." He said.

"Yes! See? I couldn't lie to you even if I wanted to." I said. He narrowed his eyes.

"Well, if what you're saying is true, then why don't you explain how you seem to know so much about us. Like the fact that you knew to look away from my Sharingan." He said. I pursed my lips. This was going to be a tough one.

"Well, I watch the anime you're from, which is called Naruto." They sneered at each other. "Yeah, I know. Anyway, you guys are in the second season and everyone, including me, thinks you're, like, the coolest characters ever, even though you're the bad guys." I admitted with a slight smile and blush.

"So everyone knows about us? Meaning they watch this anime show?" Itachi asked. Well, someone was being -All-the-Questions-I-Can-Think-of today.

"Well not everyone, like, in the world. But a lot of people know about the show, yes. It's quite popular, actually." I said.

"Well then how come we haven't seen any cameras following us around the base or anything, un?" Deidara asked skeptically. Ugh, did he completely forget about the anime thing? Dumb blondes...

"Well, see, you guys aren't...technically...real. You're just...drawn and animated and stuff." I said, looking down. Even this was a downer to me. It was another reason as to why this couldn't possibly be happening, yet it was.

"Well, we seem to be pretty fucking real now." Hidan said sarcastically.

"Look, I don't really know how this all happened either, okay? All I know is that I typed your names on a website and, poof! You're here. I don't know the mechanics behind teleportation and shit." I said annoyedly.

"What website was this?" Kakuzu asked, speaking up. I pointed to my computer, and he went over to it. "There's a window open here." He said. I got up and carelessly made my way around the people who now crowded my room. Kakuzu stepped aside and I sat in the chair, confident I wasn't going to be knocked out of it again.

There was a notice window open that read, _"ERROR 12647: You're computer has obtained a virus! All windows have been closed and the source of the virus is no longer available. __Click here__ to find out more."_ Eyebrows furrowing, I clicked the link and read the detailed information. I had this anti-virus software that was actually run by a real-live operator somewhere in New York City or something. I lived in Tennessee. Anyway, the words were being typed as I read.

_"Hello, Naomi, it seems there was a virus on the last site you visited. There doesn't appear to be any damage done to your computer, but we are currently working on finding out what it is. Unfortunately, your internet will not be available until the matter is resolved. I apologize for the inconvenience."_

I sighed and typed back, _"It's okay, Phil. Thanks for all the hard work."_

The polite goodbye came and the window closed. I sighed again and turned toward them. "Well, it looks like that website was hacked or something. There's no way to find out about it until my anti-virus company works out the issue. Unfortunately for you, that also means there's no way to get you back to your world." I said. I smiled inwardly. I could actually have some fun with this.

"So you're saying we're stuck here, un?" Deidara asked; I nodded, the corners of my lips twitching.

"What did you mean by, 'unfortunately for you'?" Kisame asked. I fought furiously to keep back my smile.

"Oh, I just meant you guys would probably be sad about not being able to go home." I said, standing.

"And you're not?" He asked. I couldn't help it. I broke out into a grin.

"Hell no. I mean, it's not everyday my favourite anime characters come to life in my bedroom." I said. Hidan rolled his eyes.

"I really fucking wish you'd stop calling us 'anime characters'. We're right fucking here, you know." He said annoyedly. I smiled.

"I know. That's what I'm happy about." I said as I turned and left the room, leaving the door open. My house was pretty spacious, but I filled up the interior quite comfortably. There were black leather couches in the livingroom, along with a 42" flat-screen. Okay, so my grandmother (I called her Nanny) pitched in more than a little financial-wise. I tried to talk her out of it, but she was one persistent woman! Especially when her only grandchild was the subject of the matter.


	5. Chapter 5

I heard them all file out of the room as I made my way to the kitchen, ready to cook up some dinner. Man, was I glad it was Friday! Today was my all-out ramen day. With my special light-wood chopsticks.

"Are you ever going to tell us who you are, un?" Deidara asked as he and the rest stopped just outside of the kitchen area. I turned toward them with an apologetic expression.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm Naomi Itei. You can call me Nini." I said with a polite smile as I pulled down multiple bowls. I counted seven in total - perfect. "What kind of ramen do you guys like?" I asked, genuinely curious. Little details like that weren't exactly mentioned in the anime.

"You're making us ramen?" Kakuzu asked skeptically. I laughed.

"Yeah! You're my guests, I can't have you starving. Anyway, I've got pork, beef, chicken, miso, and salsa shrimp." I listed. There was a moment of silence as I rummaged through my pantry closet, but I soon heard chairs scraping against the floor as they sat down. Smiling to myself, I turned and waited.

"Miso."

"Pork."

"Beef."

"Salsa Shrimp." We all looked at Kisame for a moment, then moved on.

"Chicken."

"I'll take Miso, too, un." Jeez, one of each, plus one miso, and another beef for me. This could take a while. I sat four pots on the stove, poured the noodles in, and turned the heat on. I'd use the microwave for the other three to get things done faster. I made sure mine was last in everything so the others didn't have to wait for me.

I poured the different ramen in the bowls and professionally carried them against my arms as I served the six Akatsuki sitting at my table. When mine finished, I pulled out a fold-up chair from the pantry and sat at a corner table so no one would have to move. See? I was a good host. I fed them all equally and spared myself a seat at the dinner table.

"Hey, this is really good, un!" Deidara said, being the first to eat his. Cautiously, the others began to try. Kakuzu removed his mask, carefully keeping his eyes down, and Tobi did the same, although he just looked really cute and innocent as he slurped the soup.

The rest of our meal was eaten in silence, which kind of disappointed me. Honestly, now that I'd had the chance, talking to the Akatsuki was pretty interesting. Even if the only conversation we'd had practically decided whether or not I was going to keep my life.

That thought began to bother me, though, as I went to the sink and placed my bowl in there, advising the others to do the same. They really could have killed me if they wanted to. In all honesty, I doubt they were completely comfortable around me now. The only reason I could imagine I was still alive was that I was their key to getting back to their world, not to mention that I had information on them. Although that last detail could account for both ways. Regardless, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was not going to waste it.

Once everyone was done, they all migrated to the livingroom, filling up the seats comfortably. I took an empty armchair and got down to business.


	6. Chapter 6

"Okay, so, depending on how long it'll take for my anti-virus company to work out whatever issues that website caused, you'll need to either stay here the whole time, or I'll need to find a way to make you guys less...noticeable." I said, leaning back in the chair as I thought.

"What's wrong with how we look, un?" Deidara asked, gesturing to their attire. I raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you remember anything that I said?" I asked sarcastically. Itachi laid it on him.

"According to Naomi, we're in a different world, and she did say there weren't any ninja in this world. And that we were supposedly in an anime show a multitude of people view." He said. "We would look too suspicious if we walked around looking like 'anime characters'." He glanced at me then, and I smirked. He seemed to be taking this quite well.

"So you actually fucking believe this load of crap?" Hidan asked incredibly. Itachi sighed.

"Do we have any choice?" He asked rhetorically. I stood and went to the window, the curtain of which was drawn.

"Maybe this will help you understand." I said, pulling aside the curtain. They immediately shot up and crowded around, seeming completely taken by surprise. Where I lived, there was a lot of day-time activity. Not so much at night, surprisingly enough. But at the moment, cars could be seen speeding down the highway, which was at the bottom of the small hill that made up my backyard. I wasn't technically in one of the many country parts of Tennessee. Even the Volunteer State had its urban areas.

And the buildings across the street looked nothing like what would be seen in their world. This was probably a big shock to them.

"Well, I'm convinced, un. There is no way we're anywhere near the base anymore, un." Deidara said, plopping back down on the couch. The others sulked back as well, though they seemed a little more disappointed now that they'd fully grasped the truth. That led me to, as well. The Akatsuki really were in my house. Holy shit.

"So, are we just gonna fucking stay in this chick's house?" Hidan asked. Itachi crossed his leg as he rested back in his chair and thought.

"That would probably be the best decision, given the fact that we know nothing of this world." He said, then glanced at me. "There isn't any reason for us to leave your home, is there?" He asked. I thought for a moment. There really wasn't, except to get them clothes. But if they weren't leaving my house anyway, then there really was no reason to. So that's that, I guess.

"Unless something comes up, no." I said. "Tomorrow's Saturday, so I'll be out of school and will probably stay here most of the time." I told them. Then a thought occurred to me and I looked at the time. "Oh! It's already seven...You guys will probably need rooms to sleep in. Give me a second." I said, standing and walking down the hallway away from the livingroom. Jeez, how long had I been living there? I couldn't even remember how many rooms I had.

Three, I counted. Good, that meant each of them could pair up, which shouldn't be too foreign, since they're all partners and stuff. I came back out and looked at them.

"There are three rooms, meaning two of you can go in each. Is that okay?" I asked; they nodded.

"We're roommates with our partners anyway, so that will be fine." Itachi said. Man, he really was taking the leading role, huh? What was he, second in command? Maybe I should have transported Pein here...No! Then that would mean he'd have to share a room with someone. Gulp, probably me. Never mind that thought, then.

After checking the rooms, I realized there was only one bed in each. Smirking inwardly at my fangirl thoughts, I decided to be nice and got out some sleeping bags from a hallway closet. I put an orange sleeping bag in one room, a black one in another, and *snickers* the last pink one in the remaining room. They each checked the rooms out, deciding amongst themselves who got which one. I had to watch this.

"Tobi wants the orange sleeping bag!" The orange-masked nin said, launching himself into the first room and diving right into the cocoon. Deidara sighed and went in that room, too, taking the bed.

"Uh, goodnight, Naomi, un. Thanks for...well, everything, I guess, un." The blonde said awkwardly. Smiling slightly and blinking a few times, I nodded and closed the door of the room.

"I guess Itachi and I will take this one." Kisame said before grinning at the Zombie Duo. "That leaves that one for you." He said, having already glanced in the last room. They closed their door as the last two went inside their room.


	7. Chapter 7

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!" Hidan's shout could be heard throughout the house. He walked out of the room, holding up the pink bag with two fingers at arm's length. "You didn't fucking fish this out of the trash, did you?" He asked incredulously. I smiled.

"No. My Nanny gave it to me, but I never used it for, well...obvious reasons." I said simply.

"Well I'm not fucking sleeping in it!" He yelled. Kakuzu pushed past him and plopped down on the one twin bed. "Oh hell no, old man! You're sleeping on the fucking floor!" He yelled angrily. The stitching nin had already pulled up the pre-made sheets.

"Like hell I am. Shut up and go to sleep." Kakuzu grumbled. Hidan turned back to me, a pleading look in his maroon eyes. I shrugged with a smug smile.

"Well, it's either that or you can double up with Kakuzu..." I said suggestively. His eyes went wide, and said nin shot up into a sitting position on the bed.

"HELL NO!" They both shouted at once, making me bust out laughing. I regained myself and took a breath.

"Man, you guys act like two-year-olds, just with fouler language." I noted. "Anyway, it's up to you to decide. Take it or leave it." I said, nodding at the pink monstrosity in his hand. He looked back at Kakuzu, who gave him the evil-eye (literally, given his red sclera and green irides, haha), then slumped his shoulders.

"Fine..." He sighed out frustratedly, closing the door behind him. I nodded in satisfaction at my awesome mothering skills and retreated to my room. I flipped open the laptop and pulled up the anti-virus window again.

_"Hey, Phil, how's it looking? Find anything yet?"_ I typed and then waited.

_"Unfortunately, no. It doesn't seem to match any of the viruses we've encountered before. It's not like a Trojan, and it doesn't attack your computer system. It may be a completely new virus somebody created. This process could take longer than we thought."_ My well-known operator typed back. I smiled.

_"Listen, take all the time you need. I need a break from living in front of my computer anyway. Good luck!"_ I typed before signing off. Jeez, it really was like a sort of chatting program, just with one person. A stranger, but not. Phil's been my anti-virus operator for some time now. I mean, it's not like we talk about each other's day or anything, but we've been working together long enough to feel not-so-awkward chatting anonymously. ANYWAY...

I sighed and closed the computer, climbing in my comfortable, soft bed. Then I remembered something. I had to work tomorrow! Oh shit, this could be bad. I couldn't just leave the Akatsuki here alone, even if they did understand this was a strange new world to them. They were S-ranked criminals that just happened to have a mind-fart and didn't kill me when they had the chance. Actually, they could still kill me, if I pissed them off enough. Ah, jeez. My life has suddenly turned into one huge mess.

And I still needed to get back to Samantha about this...But, should I tell her the website actually worked? She would laugh and call me crazy, but I could give her the proof. But would it be safe? She was a big-time fangirl, just like me, but how would she handle something like this? I was way weirder than her, which gave me the ability to handle all this mentally and emotionally. But, knowing her, her logical side would kick in and she'd call the cops or something drastic like that.

Sigh, I suppose that should be left for tomorrow. I'd deal with the six murderers then, too...I dozed off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

*Hidan's POV*

It didn't take long for Kakuzu and I to get into an argument. We were the only exceptions back at the base for roommates. We couldn't be in the same room for more than five minutes before we started bickering at each other. Give it another ten and the room we were in would be in smitherenes.

But I had to control myself, since this was Naomi's house and all. Not that I particularly cared about her or it, but Itachi and the rest would get pissed if I demolished her home. She was helping us, after all. I still wasn't so sure about this 'new world' thing and whatnot, but, like Itachi said, I had no other choice.

My thoughts were cut off as a pillow was flung at my face. "Hey! I'm trying to sleep down here!" I yelled angrily, throwing it back at him. Kakuzu growled.

"Trying to sleep my ass. You were complaining about your sleeping bag not one minute ago!" He yelled back, sending the pillow on a rebound.

"Keep this thing on your fucking bed, old man! I have my own!" I growled, tossing it back again. It didn't return after a moment of silence. I huffed and curled up in the revolting sleeping bag. Why pink? Of all the colours, why pink? Tobi got orange! Itachi probably took the black one in his and Kisame's room! Little pricks, they put us in here on purpose. They probably knew Kakuzu wouldn't dare to even touch this thing.

I flinched as a deafening snore reached my ears. I sat bolt-upright and glared in the direction of the old miser's bed. Loud-ass mother-fucker...I sighed. I guess I wasn't going to be sleeping in here after all...

Ditching the stupid sleeping bag, I quietly left the room in search for a better place to sleep. I paused at Naomi's door, but then kept on walking. That was not even worth it. Knowing my luck, she'd wake up and kick me in the balls and call some kind of pedo or something. I couldn't say that's what I wouldn't do, but still...

I found my way in the dark to the livingroom, and plopped down on the leather couch. This chick did have some nice furniture. It would be a shame to ruin it. I'd just have to keep myself in check somehow while we were here. But hopefully, we'd be able to get back to our world soon. Staying in one house all day everyday was going to be a whole new fucking experience for us.

Most of us were usually out of missions most of the time, and the rest (which were very few) could keep our distance from each other at the base. A group of confined S-rank criminals was not necessarily a good thing, no matter how well we tried to get along.

I shivered violently suddenly. It was fucking cold out here! The window was closed and everything, but the vent on the floor was blowing freezing air right in my face. What the fuck? Weren't AC machines supposed to keep houses warm or something? Oh wait, it was the fucking spring...it was trying to cool the place off...Well hell!

I sighed frustratedly and stood, moving over to the armchair, where the air wasn't blowing. I knew it would get cold all around eventually, but for now would be fine. I brought my legs up under my block and wrapped my arms around then, not really finding another comfortable position. Man, fuck Kakuzu and his obsessions...


	9. Chapter 9

*Naomi's POV*

I heard moving around outside and woke up. Since there was never noise in my house at night, even the small shuffles out in the livingroom put me on alert. All the Akatsuki were in bed, so who could be out there? Unless one of them was up...but why? I thought they would have been as tired as I was, more even.

I yawned and got out of bed, silently opening the door and walking out into the livingroom. Squinting, I saw a figure in the armchair. Moving closer, making sure not to make a sound, I saw it was Hidan. Oh, well I guess that made sense. I should have guessed he and Kakuzu couldn't stay in the same room together for long.

Feeling better now, though still really tired, I went back down the hallway and opened the closet. I pulled down a heavy, fuzzy blanket and went back out. Swallowing silently, I made my way over to him, realizing just how risky this could be. If he was anything like me, he'd wake up suddenly and punch me in the face from surprise. I did that once to Samantha when she stayed over and I forgot in the morning and she tried to wake me up.

Anyway, moving carefully, I bent over and draped the blanket around him. He didn't move. I tucked it in best I could and stood. Looking at him for a moment, my heart started to pick up in pace as a thought fluttered its way into my mind.

Forgetting all reason, I leaned over again and placed at gentle kiss on his head. I pulled away quickly, though, idling in shock for a moment. Holy shit, I really just did that. Hidan had been one of my many fangirl fantasies, but I never could have imagined I'd have the chance in real life. Now I was getting all nervous and stuff, like I did when I thought about this sort of thing in public.

Biting my lip, I ran on my tip-toes back to my room and secluded myself behind the door. All I could think was, 'Holy shit...'

*Hidan's POV*

I'd been awake the entire time. I was still in shock five minutes after I sensed her leave hurriedly. Not only had Naomi brought me a warm blanket, but she also...kissed me? I mean, on the head, but still. That had never happened to me before.

Sure, I'd had girls attracted to me before, but they were all either too scared to make a move, or too forceful and wound up dead. Naomi was just...gentle. Or, at least, that's what the kiss had felt like. I could still feel her warm lips on my head now...

I shook the thoughts from my mind. No matter how odd it was, I needed to sleep. I'd ask her about it tomorrow. I smirked. She'd probably blush like crazy and wonder how I knew about it. Ah, this would be fun.


	10. Chapter 10

*Naomi's POV*

I did manage to get some sleep last night, and had a dream I couldn't remember. That was the weird thing about dreams, especially these ones. You knew you had them, but you can't remember them.

Anyway, I woke up early and got dressed for work. I worked at a coffee shop just down the road. It wasn't one of those huge, busy ones, but the customers there were nice enough. And everyone seemed to like our coffee.

I tip-toed out into the livingroom, making sure Hidan was still asleep out there before making my way to the kitchen. I pulled out a piece of paper from a side cabinet and wrote a note to Itachi.

_"Itachi; Went to work - will be back by three. Don't leave the house, please. Sorry - Naomi."_ It read. I tore off a piece of tape and stuck it to the outside of their door. He'd see it, sure enough. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my black satchel and left quietly.

For some reason, I always looked at my empty driveway whenever I left the house. It was like I expected a car to just be there one morning. Sigh, I hadn't even gotten my permit yet - I was only fourteen, and in middle school. Eighth grade, but still. Hopefully, I'd get Nanny to help me out with the driver's test next year. Then I could really be an adult.

I walked down the two blocks to the coffee shop, "Kristal's Koffee". Weird name, I know, but it was unique enough. Kristal, my manager, was a really nice lady and made incredibly coffee. Luckily for the workers, we got the employee discount and could get two free coffees a day. I, myself, preferred the vanilla latte, with extra sugar. But I got that one in the morning and a regular black coffee (with honey) in the afternoon. You know what they say, 'a spoonful of honey a day keeps the doctor away'. Pfft, that saying's been modified so many times I wasn't sure anymore.

Anyway, I walked in and Kristal smiled at me. She, unlike most other businesses, was kind enough to hire a fourteen-year-old like me, but let me tell you, she was relentless sometimes. She'd have me doing the cash-register alone or both of the drive-through windows. And let's just say I learned how to use the mocha machines real quick.

"Easy day today, Nini." Kristal said in her strong country accent. "Yasmine needs some help over by the registers. Rush hour's gonna be late today." She informed me. I nodded with a smile and made my way through the back of the small-ish building and to the front, taking over the empty register.

Yasmine was twenty-two, but we were the closest employees here. She was the next youngest, and we related well. She really helped me a lot school-wise, too. She was great in every subject, and helped me with my homework when we stayed late after hours.

"Hey, Nini. How's school going? Did you use that method I showed you for math?" She asked as she rung up a customer's order. I nodded.

"Sure did, Yaz. said it was a new method to her, too. Where did you learn that, anyway?" I asked. She'd shown me this new way to work like-terms. The lesson confused the crap out of me at first, but the way she put it made it seem like adding one and one.

"It was when I went to college. The instructor there had a whole new teaching strategy than the ones from the schools I went to." She said, filling up a cup and bringing it back to the man waiting patiently. "Take a word of advice, don't go to ETSU. You'd be better off at a text school somewhere. That's where I went. It's basically the same thing, but a lot easier and the classes are way different and cooler. 'Sides, with your brains, you'd fly right through it." She said with a smile as she took the guy's money. "Oh, there's a little extra here, sir." She said, switching the money out. He held his hand up.

"Keep the change. It's your tip, sweetheart." He said with a grin and a wink before walking away. She sighed, as did I. This was a usual thing for Yasmine. She had incredibly beautiful looks - long, glossy black hair, bright blue eyes, flawless white skin. She didn't even wear makeup but it looked like she did. Guys were hitting on her all the time. Some even came in here just to stand by the counter and flirt.

But Yaz was engaged now. Her four-year-running boyfriend proposed to her just last week. They were a great couple, and he would sometimes come here to order something and leave after giving some guy a bloody nose for hitting on her. I liked him; he was protective. But I thought of him more as an older brother than anything. Yaz was like a big sister to me, and he was just as nice. His name was Rick.


	11. Chapter 11

Anyway, as Kristal said, today was pretty slow. Yaz and I only got a couple customers each, and all with easy orders. Around two-fourty-five, a familiar face walked in, grinning like mad.

"Hey Samantha!" I said cheerfully, wiping down the coffee counters. I stuck the cloth in the pocket of my apron and went back to the register to her.

"Hey! So did you try out that website?" She asked with a smirk. Oh yeah.

"Pfft, no. Like I'm gonna chance some creepy-ass pedophile jumping out of my computer and raping me or something? You're nuts." I said, quoting her from yesterday. She laughed sarcastically.

"Oh, come on. You at least went to it." She persisted. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, okay, so what? It was a dud, anyway. It even tracked a virus onto my freaking computer." I said with half-hearted annoyance. She frowned.

"That sucks. Did it, like, kill your computer or something?" She asked, genuinely worried. I smiled softly and shook my head.

"No, but Phil says it's something they've never seen before." I said before putting on a surprised expression. "Maybe aliens are hacking into my computer to contact us." I said in a dramatic tone. She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Can I get a mocha latte?" She asked out of the blue. I glared at her. She smiled. "What? Did you think I came here just to chat? I'm thirsty, move it!" She ordered with a snap of her fingers. I snapped back before working on the order. She paid the required amount of money and waved and left.

A buzzer went off in my pocket and I pulled out the tiny timer. My shift was over for the day. I waved bye to Yasmine and went out through the back. "Bye, Kristal! See you tomorrow!" I said cheerfully as I walked out the door.

"Don't forget, tomorrow's payday!" She called back. I gave her a thumbs up before rounding the corner. She reminded me because it was on this particular payday that an extra bonus was to be given out. Whoever satisfied the most customers by the end of the day tomorrow was to get a fifty-dollar bonus, in addition to our regular hundred-dollar pay.

On my way home, I checked my phone, pulling it out of my satchel. There was one new text message. I opened it, and saw it was from my anti-virus company.

_"Naomi, we've discovered a possible source to the virus in your computer. But in order to authenticate it and further progress in the study of the virus, we'll need your computer. If you want to assist us, please reply yes or no and someone will come to pick your computer up tomorrow. Thank you - Phil."_

I frowned. They already found something? Man, what a drag! And I was hoping to get in some quality time...Sigh, oh well. It really was the best thing to do for the sake of Naruto the anime. I replied a _"sure thing"_.


	12. Chapter 12

Now in a less than cheerful mood, I got home and walked in the door to see the Akatsuki gathered in the livingroom. Itachi held up the note I'd left on his door; I nodded. He nodded back in understanding.

"Uh, I hope you don't mind. We kind of had a little lunch, un." Deidara said, bringing my attention to the coffee table. All it was was empty chip bags and two empty salsa containers. I laughed.

"Not at all. I need to go shopping tomorrow, anyway. Which reminds me, I'll be working late tomorrow, too, so I probably won't be back until around eight or so." I said, then thought for a moment as I hung up my apron on the coat rack. "There's supposed to be someone here to pick up my computer tomorrow, too. Phil says they found something on the virus that website put on it." I explained. They ignored my mention of someone they don't know and Itachi spoke up.

"What do you want us to do when they get here?" He asked. I just looked at him for a moment. Wow, he was asking me what to do. That was a new feeling.

"Ummm...well, just don't answer the door if they come. They'll probably contact me somehow and I'll tell them to wait." I said. He nodded and I headed back to my room to change. I was just in my underwear when my door was suddenly opened. I yelped and spun around, trying to cover myself with my discarded shirt. It was Hidan. "What the hell are you doing?! Get the fuck out!" I yelled in surprise. He flustered with the knob for a moment before slamming the door closed, a blush that rivaled mine on his face.

WTF.

I hurriedly finished changing and opened my door to see him standing there. He looked at me, then dropped his gaze.

"What did you want?" I asked, trying to lose some of the acid in my voice. Okay, so maybe I knew he wasn't the brightest guy out there to know to knock, but still...

"Um, I was going to, uh, ask you something...in private?" He asked, for once not dropping a cluster-fuck of cuss words in his sentence. Curiously, I stepped aside and let him in. I crossed my arms and waited. "Well, it's about...last night..." He muttered. I froze. Did he mean - "When you kissed my head." He added. My heart was beating so loud I thought he could hear it. Actually, he probably could, being a ninja and all.

"I, uhhhh..." I racked my head for words of the English language that seemed so foreign now. "I didn't know you were awake." I said finally. I mentally punched myself. That was stupid!

"Well, what was it for? Do you like...like me?" He asked, a certain smugness catching in his voice, though he kept his head down. If it was possible, I would have blushed more.

"Well, I...I mean, I...maybe?" I finished, although it sounded more like a question. He finally looked up, a grin spread on his face.

"But I thought we were just anime characters?" He said, taking a subtle step closer. I pretended not to notice.

"Well, you are, I just -" He cut me off.

"You're a fangirl, aren't you?" He asked knowingly, taking another step. "You know, one of those fangirls that fantasize about characters they read in books or see in movies. Or, in your case, anime shows." He was right in front of me now. I couldn't take my eyes off his.

"But I thought...you thought you weren't just anime characters." I said in a hushed voice. He looked down at me.

"It's something I've come to accept. But now we're more. I'm real. Like you." He said. I jumped when his hand suddenly brushed a bit of my dark brown hair behind my ear. I could hear my blood pulsing along with my heart, jumping at the electricity that coursed through me at the touch of his skin. We were so close. It would be too easy to just...


	13. Chapter 13

I gasped and stepped back, away from his touch and his body, which loomed over mine. He looked at me curiously, eyebrows furrowing. My eyes stung and I had to get out of there. "I...I just...can't." I said simply before running out of my room. I passed the others in the livingroom and ran out of the house entirely.

I didn't look either way as I sprinted across the lass-busy street in front of my house and into the small field past it. I dashed right into the forest at the edge of it and didn't stop running until I found my special tree.

Easily climbing up the lower limbs until I reached my favourite place near the top, I sat on a broad branch that was fully concealed by the leaves of the huge oak. Then I brought my knees to my chest and lowered my head, sobbing loudly as tears streamed my face.

This was one of the things I was afraid about, though I really hadn't wanted to admit it to myself. I never thought it would actually happen. I was afraid I'd get too close to them, and I was beginning to. I never imagined it'd start with Hidan, but it was and that was not good. Hidan was a heart-breaker, whether that was apparent to others in the anime or not. He was just that kind of guy that would sweep a girl off her feet and drop her down a canyon.

Yeah, sure I fantasized about him, but those were just fantasies. The concept could be twisted any which way I wanted. Dealing with the real thing was different - I had no control over him. And I was losing control of myself, too.

Besides, they were anime characters! I could not begin a relationship of any sort with any of them. I hadn't even had my first kiss yet!

I froze as I suddenly remembered something. Oh, goddess! How could that have even happened? Honestly, what kind of person forgot about their own boyfriend?

Yeah, I had a boyfriend. His name was Jacob and I fell in love with him just last year. Or, at least I thought I did. We dated twice that year and I broke up with him the last time, though I had no idea why. So I spent that summer depressing myself as well as most of the beginning of this year. Then I finally found the gut to ask him out and now we're dating again, for the third time. But it's not the same.

Jacob's changed since last year. Not in looks (he was still hot), but in attitude and personality. Last year, we were in our last two classes together. We sat next to each other in one, and somewhat near each other in the other. We'd always play-fight and pick on each other, but that was what got me to start liking him. He wasn't afraid to just be himself around me.

And then this year everything goes kablooie (couldn't think of a better word). He suddenly says he's afraid to be himself around me and he "doesn't want me to get hurt". I swear, when he said that, I was like "dafaq?" This is coming from the guy who sent me home with bruises and vice versa. I mean, I didn't really mind the protectiveness, but he barely even talked to me anymore. We were in different classes this year, sure, but we had lunch together and could see each other in bus hall.

But it's like he was purposely trying to avoid me.

Ah! Anyway, that's off subject. The point is, I have a boyfriend, and now my six most fantasized anime characters were in my house. Well, aside from Tobi and Itachi. Tobi was just a good boy and Itachi was just...well, Itachi. He killed his whole clan. I still thought he was a bastard.

And now Hidan was...what? Coming onto me? That seemed a bit self-generous. But what else was there to say? Sure, I kissed his head, but that was just a fangirl moment! I didn't even know he was awake! He shouldn't have been, it was, like, one in the morning!

I suddenly realized how wet my knees were and lifted my head, wiping viciously at my blue eyes. Okay, I needed to settle this. I'd get the virus fixed, go back to the website and...

FUCK. How do I send them back?! All I saw was how to get them here, not back again! FUCK FUCK FUCK!

Oh, whatever! I just needed to get the virus fixed first! I'd go from there. Sigh, I needed to get back. They were probably wondering what all that was about, anyway.


	14. Chapter 14

I climbed down from the tree. But as I walked around the wide trunk, I was met with Deidara. "Oh, hey. What are you doing here?" I asked, hoping it wasn't apparent that I'd been crying.

"I was coming to check on you, since you ran out all flustered, un. Were you crying?" He asked. Well shit. I looked down and sniffed.

"No, it's just, uh...allergies. Anyway, you shouldn't have worried. I was just -" I was cut off as his hand lifted my chin so my eyes met his visible one.

"You've been crying, un. What's wrong? What did Hidan do?" He asked. I just stared at him, completely aware that I was blushing again. Fuck my life!

"Technically, he didn't do anything. He just...implied something." I muttered, trying to look down. But his hold wouldn't let me. I felt him tug me closer, and my breath hitched silently.

"What? Tell me, un." He said, his eyes (eye?) determined.

"It's n-nothing. I overreacted." I said. Omg, did I just stutter? What is wrong with me?! He kept staring into my eyes, not seeming to be giving up anytime soon. I swallowed. "It's just...I don't want to get too close to you all just to have you leave. Plus, I have a boyfriend..." I said, though I felt really weird for having added that last part. Deidara finally let go of my chin and I looked down.

"Do you love him, un?" He asked. I looked up in a flash, ready to deny anything. "Your boyfriend, I mean, un. Do you love him?" He asked again. I let out a breath. Of course he was talking about him. But I paused before I answered.

"I...I don't know." I said truthfully. I used to think I did, but now I was having second thoughts. I knew exactly what that meant.

"Well, I wouldn't know myself, but I hear if you're in love with someone, you know for sure, un. It's not just a feeling, you know it. And if it's not true, then you'll know that, too, un." He said. I just stared at him again. Since when was Deidara deep and sentimental? Maybe I was the one who fell into a parallel universe...

"So...what should I do?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed. This was so weird. I'd never asked a guy for relationship advice in my life. Much less an anime character. Wow, that term was starting to get on my nerves...

"Follow your heart, not your head, un. Whatever you're thinking, do the opposite." He said. I laughed inwardly. I was thinking about kissing this boy right now, so I guess he was right about that much.

"Thanks." I said with a small smile. He nodded back and held out his hand. I looked at it. Hey! There was a mouth there! Cool! I took his hand with a suppressed smile as he led me back through the forest and the field, across the road and back to my house. This time, we did look both ways, though.

We both dropped each other's hands as we went inside. The other Akatsuki were right where they were, except Hidan had joined them. He looked up and found my eyes instantly, a silent question in them. I gave him an apologetic look before smiling at the others and heading back to my room. Before I closed the door, I heard them talking.

"So, what was that about?" I heard Kisame's voice.

"Boyfriend issues, un." Deidara answered, his voice sounding casual.

"Boyfriend? I didn't know she had a fucking boyfriend." That was Hidan.

"Yeah, well, now you do, so be more careful next time, un." Deidara snapped back.

"He isn't going to interfere with us and our current situation, is he?" Came Itachi's voice.

"I doubt it. Like I said, just some issues, un. If anything, we can count on him not being an issue for much longer, un." Deidara replied. Biting my lip and looking down, I went into my room. That was kind of a not-so-nice way of finding out he wanted me to break up with Jacob. Jeez. Well, maybe he was right. I was not feeling really anything with him now. I picked up my phone and dialed numbers.


	15. Chapter 15

**ATTENTION: SPOILER ALERT!**

* * *

"Hey Samantha." I said when she picked up.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked on the other line.

"You said Jacob lives right down your street, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well..." I took a deep breath. "I was wondering if you could break up with him for me." I said. Her gasp was audible through the phone.

"You wanna break up with Jacob?! Why? I thought you really liked him!" She said incredulously. I sighed.

"Yeah, I thought I did, too. But you've seen the way things are going. I don't think he likes me all that much anymore. Just, please, Samantha? For me?" I asked, putting a little pout in my voice. She sighed.

"I guess, but I am not taking the blow for this one. You're talking to him about it when we get back to school." She said before hanging up. I pursed my lips and put the phone back on its charger. Samantha really was a good friend. She kept things balanced.

Looking at the clock, I realized it was time for dinner again. I was already starving as it was, since I didn't get to have lunch. I went to the kitchen, opening various cabinets to see what I had. Not a whole lot. I would have made tacos, but I didn't have any shells and my salsa stock was diminished at the moment. Guess all that left for options was either boiling water or sandwiches. I chose the latter.

"Alright guys, we're having sandwiches. Come and make whatever." I said as I made my own and left the kitchen just as they all started filing in. Deciding tonight was going to be a lazy night, I went to the livingroom and turned on the TV. I dropped the remote as sound suddenly blasted out of the speakers.

Shit! I had it on a music channel the other night and forgot to turn it off! I quickly hit mute and was rewarded with blissful silence. That is, until the others ran back in.

"What the hell was that?" Hidan asked, looking like he'd just seen a ghost or something. I sighed and popped my ears.

"That was me being a forgetful idiot. Sorry, I was listening to music the other day and forgot to turn the volume down." I said sheepishly. Then I took a good look at them. "Why are you all covered in...uh..." I made a vague gesture to the white stuff all over them. They looked at themselves and pointed at Hidan. I raised my eyebrows. "Hidan? Would you like to explain to me why you all look like you just had an orgy?" I asked, my voice staying serious, surprisingly. Everyone else busted our laughing, though.

"I was trying to use the ranch and Kakuzu fucking squirted it on me." He said with a tint of pink on his cheeks.

"Never, in your immortal life, would that ever happen, Hidan." Kakuzu said, although I could tell he was grinning behind his mask. The others were still laughing, even Itachi cracked a smirk.

"Shut the fuck up! You know what I fucking mean!" He yelled back. I just chuckled.

"There are towels in the bathroom, last door down the hall. I recommend you go one at a time, though." I advised before turning back to my sandwich and leaving them to figure it out. I lowered the volume on the TV and started channel surfing. My eyes widened a little when I saw there was an episode of Naruto Shippuden.

I started watching as everyone started filing in. This episode wasn't particularly one of my favourites in the actual anime, but it was one of the first episodes Hidan and Kakuzu were introduced, so fangirl-wise, it was okay.

"Holy shit, that's us!" Hidan exclaimed as he found the TV. It was at the part where Kotetsu and Izumo had jabbed Hidan through with their blades. "I remember that! It hurt like a bitch." He added. Then he looked at me. "Is this what you were talking about?" He asked; I nodded, my smile already faded. Everyone fell silent as we watched.

Only when a commercial came on did everyone relax. It had left off where Hidan had trapped Asuma in his Jashin Sacrifice Ritual. Not one of my favourite parts, at all.

"I still resent you for that." I said, having finished my sandwich a while ago. Hidan looked up.

"For what?" He asked.

"For killing Asuma." I said with a scowl.

"What? The cash-cow? What's so great about him?" He asked, oblivious. I picked up a fork from the table someone had brought and flung it at him. He dodged and looked at me with wide-eyes. "What the fuck?!"

"Sorry, had to get it out. You should let me stab you sometime." I said with a smile as I walked out of the livingroom and back to my bedroom.


	16. Chapter 16

*Deidara's POV*

We all turned to the silver-hair. "Dude, she's pissed at you." Kisame said. The Jashinist still looked lost.

"For what?! I still don't fucking know why she got all worked up over that dude I fucking killed." Hidan said.

"The anime's called Naruto. There's no doubt she knows all about the 'characters' even somewhat related to the Jinchuuriki friendship-wise." Itachi said. "Most likely, she's a fan of the Leaf, even if she does have a preference for us in her fandom." He said coldly.

"Do you think she'd turn against us, un?" I asked. He looked at me for a moment, seeming to think about that. Then he shook his head.

"She knows better. She herself said this world was without ninja. A civilian wouldn't stand a chance. Besides, she's been nothing but kind to us since we were transported here." The Uchiha said.

"I still don't understand that. Didn't Naomi say she summoned us here?" Kisame asked; Itachi nodded. "Why would she do that? She obviously knows we're powerful and evil, she said it herself. So why would she chance bringing us here?"

"I don't think she meant to." Kakuzu said. "I don't think she knew the transportation would work. She did say she did it by accident. Chances are, this whole thing came unexpected to her." He reasoned.

"She seems to be taking it well, though, un." I said. "I mean, I'm still freaked out about traveling through dimensions. I didn't even know there were other dimensions, much less a way to travel between them, un."

"Well, there seems to be. There is one thing that's been on my mind, though." Itachi said. "What do we do when and if we get back? Should we tell Leader about it? Or should we just pretend nothing ever happened?" He asked us in general.

"We don't tell him." Kakuzu answered immediately. "There's nothing to do about it when we get back. There is absolutely no reason to come back here, after all."

"But what if someone else uses the website Naomi was talking about?" Kisame asked. "We could be summoned back here at any time if someone else uses it."

"Yeah, and this virus thing could be a normal thing for the transportation, un. To make it difficult to send us back." I said.

"But who would make a website like that?" Kisame asked. "And, more importantly, how did they make it work? Still, I can't think of any reason why anime characters would be wanted in this world, if we're just fictional to them." The shark nin said.

"For the same fucking reason Naomi tried it out." Hidan said. We all looked at him. "Fantasies. These people supposedly have them about us, right? What if they just want to have a fucking taste of what it would really be like? Primitive, if you ask me, but still possible." The Jashinist said.

"You have a point, but I wouldn't say it's primitive. It's just human nature. Desire can drive people to extreme limits." Itachi said. "It seems the limits have been breached, though, for someone to have created a method of teleportation through dimensions. The genius behind it is well beyond my own."

There was silence for a moment until Hidan stood. "Well, I'm gonna go get this crap off. It's starting to fucking stick." He said, tugging at his cloak, which was now covered in pasted ranch dressing.

"I call next." Kisame said.

"I'm after you, then." Kakuzu said.

"I'm fourth, un." I said. Itachi sighed.

"Tobi's a good boy! Tobi don't need to clean his cloak!" I narrowed my eyes as my partner's obnoxiously loud voice rang in my ears. He was always quiet when Naomi was around, but when it's just us, he has a fucking built-in bull-horn.

Eventually, all of our cloaks were cleaned, but we had to soak them in water. So we set them to dry around the edge of the bathtub, leaving us in just our under clothes (not underwear, under clothes, there's a difference).


	17. Chapter 17

By that time, we were all getting tired anyway, so we started going to our temporary rooms. I found Hidan and Kakuzu standing in front of their door, arguing as usual.

"I would sleep in there, but your fucking train-horn of a nose keeps me up all night! So why don't you go sleep on the fucking couch this time?" Hidan said.

"No." Was Kakuzu's only reply. He shut the door in Hidan's face, who sighed and started sulking down the hall.

"Hidan." He turned when I called to him. "Why don't you sleep in my room tonight, un? Tobi's got the sleeping bag and he doesn't snore, un." I offered. His maroon eyes narrowed.

"I would, but I have to fucking ask why." He said; I shrugged.

"I prefer to sleep alone anyway. But if you don't want to, I can just -" He cut me off.

"No, no, I'll take the fucking bed. Thanks, I guess." Hidan said, slipping past me and into my room. I smiled inwardly and started down the hall, planning on taking the couch. I stopped as a door opened beside me. Naomi peeked her head out.

"That was nice of you." She noted. I shrugged.

"We don't always act like we hate each other, un." I said. She bit her lip for a moment.

"It gets cold out there. You really shouldn't." She said. I caught how she shifted her weight a little to open her door more. The corner of my mouth pulled up a little.

"You got a better idea, un?" I asked. She blushed and stepped aside. I thought for a moment before walking in. Her room looked about the same as the others, just a few more personal items like pictures and trophies and such. She closed the door behind us.

"I have a sleeping bag..." She hesitated, and I turned to her.

"For some reason, I think you're too tired to get a sleeping bag for me, un. I think the bed is big enough for two, don't you?" I asked, smiling knowingly even though she couldn't see it in the dark.

"I suppose..." I heard her move and she brushed past me, climbing into the twin bed. Sending her a look she still couldn't see, I followed her. She scooted over until I heard her back up against the wall. I smiled and agilely slipped under the covers with her. I felt her tense at our close proximity, which only made me smile more. We were facing each other, and I felt her shaky breath as she slowly let it out. It smelled like cherries. Must've been her toothpaste or something.

"I'm in no danger of falling off the edge, un. Although I think there's a chance you're going to disappear into that wall if you scoot back any further, un. There's still at least a foot of space that can be filled." I said, trying to keep a certain tone out of my voice. Timidly, she shifted and our bodies were suddenly pressed against each other. Since I really had not other choice, I took an immediate notice to her well-developed breasts, which were mashing against my chest tauntingly.

I resisted my urges and really tried to focus on sleeping. But I was starting to regret my choice of actions. There was a certain issue now that either needed to be dealt with or...

Ah, jeez, now I've gone and done it. Note to self: only be seductive when you can go all the way. Otherwise you just wind up awkward and uncomfortable.

Still, after a little while, Naomi fell asleep. Her breathing steadied and I could feel her heart take on a calming rate. I was surprised, however, when she suddenly snaked her arms around me. Oh, someone's a cuddly sleeper. Now this, I could deal with. I put my arms comfortably around her, too, and slowly fell into a deep sleep as well.


	18. Chapter 18

*Naomi's POV*

I woke up at the same time as yesterday, even though I didn't have to. I had the late shift today at Kristal's, meaning I could sleep in for a few hours.

But the body sleeping next to me refused to let me do so. I was very well aware of the fact that my arms were around him. I was very well aware of the fact that his arms were around me. Put these two together and you get the deepest blush of all fucking time.

But I didn't change it. I liked it. I usually hated any sort of intimate contact from anyone but Jacob, being my boyfriend and all, but now I was single. I think. Eh, I trusted Samantha. But being single meant I could flirt all I wanted. And do anything I wanted, but I'd rather keep those thoughts out of my mind. At least for now.

I buried my face into Deidara's chest. It was firm, but comfortable like a hard pillow. His shirt was soft and smooth and I loved the feel on my cheek. He shifted when I did this, but I tried not to mind it. He simply tightened his arms around me.

I was about to drift off to sleep again before a knock sounded on the front door of the house. Both Deidara and I shot up at the noise, surprising each other. Curious as to who would be knocking so early, I crawled off the end of the bed and left my room to answer the door as they knocked again.

I opened it to see a guy in uniform, the tag on his jacket indicating he was from my anti-virus company. I looked at him.

"Naomi Itei?" He asked; I nodded. "It's Phil, how ya doin'?" He asked with a grin. I was taken aback, but smiled nonetheless.

"Oh, hey, nice to finally meet you. I'm guessing you're here for the computer, right?" I asked; he nodded.

"That would appear to be the case." He said, all professional-like. I laughed and told him to wait as I went back into my room, where Deidara still was.

"Who is it?" He asked. I started packing up the charger and stuff into the computer case.

"My operator from my anti-virus company. He's here to pick up the computer to try and figure out this website virus thing." I said as I gathered everything together. Then I left and returned to Phil at the front door. "Here it is. Don't break it." I warned. He just smiled.

"I'll try not to. Thank you for your -" He cut his words short as his eyes focused on something behind me. I turned around to see Deidara standing at the end of the hallway. My eyes widened.

"Go back to the room!" I whisper-shouted, shooing him with my hand. He held his hands up in surrender and retreated as I said. I turned back to Phil, who was watching me with skeptical eyes.

"Is he...your boyfriend?" He asked hesitantly. My eyes widened again.

"Oh, no! He's not." I assured him. That just seemed to make him more skeptical and he gave me a sort of look. I went wide-eyed, yet again. "Oh, it's...not like that! It's just, he's...he's a cousin staying over." I said frantically, coming up with the excuse off the top of my head. He nodded, though his eyes said the opposite.

"Right. I'll just, uh...go then." He said awkwardly. I smiled and waved as he turned and walked away before closing the door, sighing aloud.

*Phil :D*

He honestly hoped that wasn't what it looked like. Her excuse was not very believable, and he was really very worried. That guy looked much older than her, and much too sketchy.

Casually glancing back, he happened to see through her open window as people began gathering in her livingroom. All of them were men. Older men.

Eyes plastered wide, Phil had an inner war with himself at the door to his car. Should he call the police and file a report for possible rape? Or pedophilery, even. For all he knew, they were keeping her against her will. He was only her anti-virus operator, but he'd been in said position for long enough to know her at least as acquaintances. She was only fourteen, and lived on her own.

Peeking back inside the window, just for the sake of comfort, he watched as she came out of her hallway with the blonde from before and another with silver hair. She seemed to start yelling at the blonde and then spoke to the others. They all nodded and she moved out of sight into the kitchen. Phew, it didn't seem like what he thought it was. If anything, she was the one in charge. That was more like the Naomi he knew. He got in his car and drove away, re-focusing on the mission at hand.

*Naomi's POV*  
~Earlier~

"Are you fucking insane?! He could have recognized you!" I yelled at Deidara as I came back into my room. Taken by surprise, he flinched at the ferocity in my voice. "When you know someone's at the door, you don't just walk out in plain sight! Honestly, you're a fucking ninja, you should know this!" I ranted.

"Well, someone's starting to sound like me." Came a voice as it appeared in my doorway. I turned around and growled at Hidan.

"Not. In the mood." I stated before storming past him and into the livingroom, knowing full-well that they would follow. The others had already gathered there. I turned back to Deidara for a final shout, just to get it off my chest. "And do not seduce me like that. Ever. Again." I yelled before turning back to the others. "I'm going shopping later after work. Write down things you might want. I'll do my best to find it all." I said, walking into the kitchen to get a pen and paper and bringing it back to them. After that I went right to the bathroom. Boy, was I going to PMS hard this month.


	19. Chapter 19

*Hidan's POV*

"Did she fucking say seduce?" I asked blondie with a grin. He glared at me with his one visible eye, which was not much of a threat. "Sorry, but I can fucking tell you now that won't work. I already fucking tried, and if she turned me down, there's no way in hell she'll go for you." I said smugly.

"Didn't you hear her? She said don't do it again, un. Meaning I succeeded my first try." He said with emphasis. I gaped.

"No fucking way. Did you fuck her?" I asked, not being able to help my urges.

"No, you zealot! I just slept with her, un." Blondie replied. I rolled my eyes.

"What's the fucking difference?" I asked.

"I mean, literally. I literally slept next to her in her bed, un. That's all." He said. I frowned. Blondie got farther than I did. "Besides, I'm not just trying to fuck her. Unlike you, I actually care about what she's going through, un." He added. I narrowed my eyes.

"Why would you fucking care? You haven't known her for two fucking days!" I noted.

"That's long enough to know she just broke up with her boyfriend, un. I hear that does something to girls' hormones and shit, un. She'll be moody for a while. Not to mention the fact that her period's on the way, un." He added the latter. I furrowed my brows.

"How would you fucking know that?" I asked, kind of disgusted, actually.

"You couldn't smell the blood?" Kisame asked, jumping in. I looked at him.

"No. No, I couldn't. I don't particularly try to focus on smelling some fucking chick's dead blood cells." I said. But we all shut up when we heard the bathroom door open and Naomi walked out. She gave us all a glare before going to the kitchen and out of sight. I leaned forward.

"I think she fucking heard us." I whispered. That got me a slap on the back of the head from Kakuzu. I turned and glared at him, holding back my bucket of curses I was all ready to throw his way.

*Naomi's POV*

Later that day, I took the list of items from the Akatsuki and left for work. Now that it was closer to rush hour, the shop was actually fairly busy. Due to the different shifts, the other one on the register was Marlie, a sweet little fifty-year-old lady. She always had the most interesting stories to tell. I wished I could sit and talk with her more, but considering the hours we worked together, there was just no time. I hoped to invite her over one day with my Nanny, figuring they'd get along pretty well.

It was already seven by the time Kristal called all the employees to the back. She showed us a board with a line-chart on how sales have been going for each of us. She let us study it for a moment before turning on her heal and looking right at me. "Congratulations, Nini. You've got this month's bonus." She said with a smile. My jaw dropped as she handed me the check.

"Are you serious?" I asked giddily. She laughed good-heartedly and put a hand on my shoulder.

"You've been good to the shop, Nini. Keep up the good work." She said before giving me a final pat and dismissing us. I got all sorts of good-natured smiles from everyone, which I returned. Still, I had to set off so I bid everyone goodbye and left happily.

I headed off in the opposite direction of my house, seeing as how there was an indoors flea-market type place that sold food there. Just walking in was like visiting all seven countries in one. People from all over would come here to set up booths. People had some of the most exotic foods here.


	20. Chapter 20

I went to the 'American' section and got whatever I could from the list. Good thing about this place was that things were good quality and cheap. But now that I had that bonus check, I decided to splurge just a little.

I made my way to my favourite Japanese booth. The guy behind there stood and bowed respectively, just like he did any customer.

"Konbanwa, Naomi-san." He said in a fluent Japanese accent. He was, after all, from the country. I bowed back, as per usual.

"Konbanwa, Dachi-ue. O genki desu ka?" I asked him how he was. He smiled.

"Hai, genki desu. Anata wa?" He said he's fine, and asked me the same.

"Hai." I replied. I pointed at a pair of really cool chopsticks I'd been ogling at the past few times I'd been here. "Kore wa ikura desu ka?" I asked him how much they were. He picked them up and studied them for a moment, then turned to me.

"Kore wa roku-dorudesu." He said they were six dollars. I smiled and pulled out the required money, handing it to him. He took it and bowed. "Doumo arigato gozaimasu." He said 'thank you very much'. I bowed back again.

"Anata wa kangeidesu." I said 'you're very welcome'. I then put the chopsticks in a bag and headed out. It was always nice refreshing on my Japanese. I was planning on taking the course in high school, but I was fairly fluent now as I was. I smiled, remembering how I used to start speaking Japanese when I started yelling at someone. I'd have to start that up again.

I made it home just ten minutes later than I said, seeing they were all still in the livingroom when I walked in. Deidara immediately jumped up and took some bags off my hands; I smiled at him. We took them to the kitchen and set them on the floor.

"Thanks. This should be enough to last you lot a week or two at most." I said. "Did you guys happen to have eaten already?" He shook his head. "Good. I'm going to make something special tonight." I said, putting things away.

"What's so special about tonight, un?" He asked handing me things from the bags.

"Well, I don't know how long you guys will be able to stay here. I wanna make the best of the time I have with you all." I said, not even caring about the default blush that came up on my face. I caught his smile as we continued to put things up. By the end of that, all that remained were the ingredients to the dinner I was going to make.

"All this? Just for us, un?" He asked incredulously. I rolled my eyes.

"No. I'm eating, too, you know." I said teasingly. He chuckled. I pulled out a pan and sprayed it with cooking oil, putting on the stove and letting it pre-heat. Then I added the roast that had thawed on the way home. I loved hearing that sizzle when I did that. But it'd been so long since I'd actually made a real diner. And for people, no less. Fictional people, but still people.

Deidara helped out, doing the veggies in a pot and strainer. Kisame somehow found his way in the kitchen and suddenly he was there working on the potatoes. I continued to focus on the roast as Itachi appeared down the counter by the sink, seeming to be brewing together a drink in a container with the stuff he wrote down for me to get.

I added some seasonings and turned around to get more to see Kakuzu AND Hidan putting together salads. With each other. By themselves. And they weren't arguing. Hidan actually laughed when Kakuzu purposefully flicked a salad leaf his way.

Tobi had already set the table by the time everything was finished. I was genuinely shocked. They had all done, like, everything with me, and lessened the time it would have taken by a lot. Tobi even squeezed an extra seat in between his and Deidara's. Neither he nor Kakuzu were wearing the masks, and they hadn't all day. It seemed they were getting more comfortable around here...


	21. Chapter 21

The food the others prepared was great, and I even got compliments on the roast. Itachi's tea was fantastic. I'd never have thought the two flavors I got for him would taste so good together. And the new dressing Kakuzu put on the salads just topped it off to perfection. Not to mention the subtle blend of seasonings in the potatoes Kisame cut. Deidara's veggies were steamed perfectly, leaving them with a bit of crunch and just the right amount of softness. The roast was nice and tender and reminded me of the kind Nanny used to make me. Yup. This was one special dinner, alright.

When everyone was finished, I gathered their plates and stuff and put it in the sink, leaving them for later. I didn't let the Akatsuki leave the kitchen just yet.

"I have a surprise I think you'll all enjoy." I said, darting around them to the pantry, where I hid the objects from Deidara when he brought them in. I held it behind my back for a moment for suspense before pulling it out. They all grinned.

"You didn't have to, you know." Itachi said, studying a bottle closely.

"Whoever said I had to? I felt like it." I shrugged, setting the other two bottles on the table and searching through my cabinets again. There was one other thing good about that indoors flea-market. There was no need for age identification. I pulled down seven wine glasses.

"How old are you, un?" Deidara asked, looking at another bottle of red wine.

"Fourteen." I said simply, setting the glasses down. I turned to grab a bottle, but his hand stopped me. I looked at him.

"You are way too underage to be drinking this stuff." He said sternly, looking at me intently. I frowned at him.

"Deidara, I've been living on my own for years. I'm not stupid. I know when I'm at my limit, and even if I do get drunk, I'm a calm drunk, if not a bit cuddly. Besides, it's been almost a year since I've had even a drink." I said, using his shocked pause to slowly reach for the bottle again. "And like I said, tonight's special. Don't ruin it for me." I said with a small hip-bump before pouring some glasses. He sighed and allowed it, though he really couldn't stop me.

Okay, well, yeah he could, but I'd like to imagine he couldn't.

Before everyone sat down in the livingroom, Itachi proposed a toast. "It may have been strange at first, but it's not so bad living in this world. Especially with someone like you, Naomi. Cheers." The Uchiha said with a smile as we tapped glasses. I smiled and nodded back before downing half of mine. Ah, yum.

It didn't take long before we were on the third bottle. Yes, I was a bit tipsy, but I was in control. I began to learn a lot about the Akatsuki individually, and vice versa. It turns out Kakuzu was a laughy drunk; Hidan a quiet one; Itachi a talkative one; Kisame a hyper one; and Tobi (I had no idea how old he even was) was surprisingly quite sophisticated when drunk. But I liked Deidara the best. He was all touch when drunk, and I just happened to be in my cuddly state.


	22. Chapter 22

The blonde and I were sitting on the couch together, his arm around my shoulders as I leaned comfortably into his side, making sure to balance my drink. I also found out that his hand mouths could drink, too. I didn't know why, but that made me crack up at the time. Just the memory was making me grin.

"I think someone's had a little too much." Kisame said, swiping the last bottle away from Kakuzu, who was reaching for it.

"Hey, come on, man. I've only had, like..." Kakuzu stopped to count on his hands for a moment. "Five. I've had five." He said finally, chuckling a little. Kisame rolled his eyes before pouring himself another drink, which would be his sixth.

"Me, too, Kuzu. But mine were only filled halfway. You've had five full glasses. Take a break." The shark nin advised. The stitching nin huffed and crossed his arms, sitting back in the sofa next to Hidan.

"Don't call me Kuzu." He muttered. The Jashinist smiled.

"Only I can call him that." He said, draping an arm over his older partner. I watched them carefully, my fangirl interior rising again. I was disappointed, however, when 'Kuzu' shook the arm off.

"Have you ever noticed how quiet it gets? I think it's really quiet right now. Somebody should play some music. What kind of music do you have?" Itachi rambled, standing and stumbling over to my music CDs. Yes, I had CDs. Yes, I had a CD player. No, I was not ashamed. "There's rock, country, pop, rap, dubstep, skrillex. What is all this? You got some odd music, Nini. Is this the kind of music you like? Maybe I should play one. Which one should I play?" He continued.

He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that I was dying of laughter, but Deidara was there right along with me. Seeing Itachi drunk was like listening to a speed-talker. Not to mention the complete randomness of his words sometimes. He just started talking about anything he could think of.

"I think I'll play a country song. Country is calming. There are horses in the country. Have you ever ridden a horse? Horses are really fast. I think ninja are faster, though. Ninja use chakra in their feet to run. Running is really fun. I think I wanna go for a run. Can I go for a run, Nini?" He actually paused to look at me. I looked up and steadied my breathing to try and be serious.

"Not outside you can't. Knock yourself out in here, though. Just don't break anything." I said. He was off, just like that. Like, literal dust was left behind from where he was. And I thought Kisame was the hyper one!

Every now and then I could hear his footsteps run by me or something, but I couldn't see him. Man, ninja really were fast. But Kisame stuck his arm out and suddenly Itachi was bent over by the stomach, groaning.

"Down, boy. You'll tire yourself again." The blue-skinned nin said, helping the now panting Uchiha down to a seat beside him. Only then did I hear the whispering going on between the Zombie Duo. I narrowed my eyes at them, wishing I could hear what they were saying. But my eyebrows shot up when Hidan giggled. GIGGLED.

"We'll be retiring to bed now." Kakuzu said suddenly, standing wobbly along with Hidan. They stumbled their way down the hall, and all we could hear was their footsteps after that. The door closed and there was an immediate bang afterwards that could have only been something being pushed up against the wall. Oh goddess...


	23. Chapter 23

"Those are new sheets..." I muttered to myself, but Deidara heard me.

"What? You think they're gonna -" I cut him off by nodding. "That's an...interesting thought, un." He said.

"Well, I think we should go to sleep, too." Kisame said, lifting Itachi's limp arm over his shoulder. The weasel had passed out from running. "And I do mean sleep. I'm going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow. Thanks for the wine, though. Good year on it." He said before dragging his partner off to bed.

Tobi had gone back ages ago, claiming "If one wants to have a productive life, one must learn to discipline one's self into chronological routines of life." None of us knew what the hell he'd said.

So that left Deidara and I. And let me tell you, the boy moves quick.

He started nuzzling my cheek and nipping lightly at my earlobe sending shivers down my spine. His hands rested on my hips as he gently maneuvered me to straddle his lap. My hands rested on his shoulders, placing light kisses down his neck. But he stopped and pulled back to look at me.

"How far have you gone with a guy?" He asked seriously. I pursed my lips.

"Not very. I still haven't had my first kiss." I said honestly. His visible eye went wide.

"Are you serious?" He asked incredulously; I blushed and nodded. His expression softened and he lifted a hand to brush a bit of my hair from my face. My heart sped up again. "Then may I be your first?" He asked in a gentle whisper. I took a breath and nodded.

Immediately, his lips were on mine. I wanted to gasp at the sudden feeling, but I didn't want to ruin the moment. Huh, who would have thought my first kiss would be Deidara's? I sure as hell didn't until now.

He moved his lips against mine, coaxing me to do the same. Timidly, I did, allowing him to guide me in all the movements. I knew just what to do when I felt his hot tongue slide skillfully against my bottom lip. I granted him access and he slowly, meaningfully, slipped his tongue inside my mouth, tasting and touching every spot he could.

Soon, my tongue found his and the spark of the war was created. A new feeling welled up within me and I gave a fierce battle for dominance over our tongues. He was surely more experienced, but I was more forceful.

But I lost, in the end. He weakened me with his hands, which continued to roam my body without really touching anything. Goddess, he was such a tease. But, then again, I wasn't completely sure if I was ready for something like that.


	24. Chapter 24

**WARNING: LEMON**

* * *

I didn't feel the same as I would with another guy. Whenever I even talked intimately (a.k.a flirted) with a guy, I'd get this weird feeling in my gut that told me to put an end to it. But now, all I felt was butterflies in my stomach and a balloon full of air in my head. I was going all-out with this...

To prove my point, I pressed myself to him, our lips still locked passionately, My first kiss was loooong, but I didn't mind one bit. This was the kind of kiss I only read about in books. The kind that held more feeling than the words on the paper. The kind you could only imagine and dream about. Well, I was living it.

Deidara seemed to catch on fairly quickly. He suddenly moved less gently and became more needy, as if he was letting loose what he'd been keeping caged all this time. That's what I wanted - for him to just let loose and have at it with me. His hand slid down my waist, carefully lifting at the rim of my shirt. I stopped him and broke the kiss for much, much needed air.

We were both panting as we looked into each other's eyes. My heart was still pounding like fucking thunder. I did not want this feeling to end. I quickly got up and ran over to turn off the lights to the livingroom before grabbing his hand and taking him back to my room, closing the door behind us.

As soon as it was locked, he pressed me against the wooden surface, mashing his lips to mine in an instant. I tugged lightly at his cloak, and he ripped it off without breaking the kiss. But I forced him to as I tugged again at his shirt, using the quick break to remove mine as well.

I was blushing horribly by now, but he didn't seem to care. His hands were too busy feeling every inch of my exposed skin. One slid under my bra and caressed my breasts, causing me to gasp into the kiss. He moaned lightly in response as he squeezed and played with my nipple until it was hard.

Then, swiftly unclasping the strap (finally, a guy who knows how bras work), he placed both of his hands on either and opened the mouths on them. I let out an uncontrollable moan from the sudden wetness, not really used to breast-play. Whenever I'd...you know...done certain things to myself, breast-play had never been a huge preference. But he was making me like it pretty good.

Once he was satisfied with those, he moved a hand down to the rim of my pants, leaving a quick-to-cool line of saliva as he did so. I froze mentally for a moment. Holy shit, I had gone so far with him. I was trying to think clearly about what was best, but he kept distracting me with those hand mouths of his. Then I just gave up and let the fog of pleasure surround me, completely giving into him and letting him do whatever he pleased.

He seemed to sense this, because he immediately started pulling my pants down. I helped him eagerly and kicked them off my legs, still pressed against the door. He changed this, though, by picking me up bridal-style and carrying me to my bed.

He laid me down and crawled agilely atop me, sliding easily between my legs, the core of which still covered by my underwear. On this thought, his hand dipped down and rubbed over the thin cloth, feeling how wet I was already. He chuckled and moved his mouth to my neck, leaving a small hikkie as he sucked.

"You really want me, huh, un?" He whispered huskily into my ear. I nodded, out of breath and shaking from anticipation and desire. He grinded his body against mine once, causing me to gasp as I felt his hard member pronounce itself against my thigh. "I want to hear you say it, un." He whispered again, the lust in his voice barely concealed. My eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" I asked, still out of breath from that last move.

"Say you want me, un. Beg for me." He said simply. I pursed my lips.

"No." I said. Jeez, really? He chose now to turn into a fucking sadist or something? Jerk...

"Fine then. I guess I'll just..." He began to rise from the bed. My eyes went wide.

"No!" I shouted, though maybe a little too loudly. He glanced at me and smirked knowingly. My cheeks went red as all hell. "Please, Deidara. I want you. I want you to make love to me." I said finally, an actual beg clear in my voice. He gasped lightly and was over me again in a second, his eyes filled with lust and desire. He placed his lips on mine harshly, molding the tender flesh together with a passion.

His hands hurriedly went to remove my underwear, which I assisted him with. He then put his hand right on my soaking wet folds, the tongue there snaking out to flick my clit. I let out a moan of unexpected pleasure. I'd only dreamt about this before; feeling it was another thing entirely.

While his hand mouth's tongue focused on that, he slipped a finger inside of me. Being the slim digit it was, it didn't stretch me at all, but I began to feel the pressure when he added a second one. I pursed my lips and focused on the pleasure his hand mouth was giving me. I knew that was the plan. Distract me with pleasure so I wouldn't concentrate on the pain.

It started becoming a bit too much when he inserted a third digit. But then he started moving them in and out, my juices providing sufficient lube for the scissoring movement. Soon enough, I was moaning again as his other hand returned to my breast and his mouth nipped and sucked and licked at my neck.

After a moment of that preparation, he pulled his hand away and looked at me. "Are you ready for this, un?" He asked, genuinely concerned. I nodded without a second thought. There was no way I was turning back now. He nodded back and removed his pants, revealing his erect member. I gaped at his size. Don't get me wrong, I'd seen good-sized dicks in videos and stuff, but it was something else to see it right there in front of you.

He positioned himself at my entrance, giving me one last look. "Slow and steady or fast and quick?" He asked.

"The latter." I answered, blushing. He smiled and did as told, thrusting hard into me without another moment's notice. I let out a loud cry of pain as my barrier was broken all in one. But he silenced me with his lips as he kissed me firmly. I could tell that was hell to him, just hearing the pained cry. I tried to keep my whines under control as he kept his word and continued at a quick pace.

But, thanks to this, the pain receded rather quickly. There was still an annoying throb, but nothing too unbearable. I gave him a reassuring look and he nodded back in understanding, though he didn't slow down. He held my wrists above my head with one of his hands while the other moved back to my breasts. It was like he could read my mind. I wasn't a huge fan of bondage, but just this was perfect.

It wasn't long before I felt myself reaching my climax. Man, so soon? Well, this was my first time, cut me a break. Still, it didn't make it any less pleasurable as I came and moaned out his name in ecstasy. He continued thrusting as I rode out my incredible orgasm and came a few thrusts later, groaning in pleasure, as well.

He stayed inside me for a few more moments before finally pulling out gently and collapsing beside me. We turned our heads sideways to look at each other. He reached up and brushed away those stubborn hairs.

"You're my first, un." He said suddenly. My eyes widened.

"Really?" I asked incredulously; he nodded. I sighed and smiled. "Well, I guess it's obvious you're my first, too. I'm glad it was with you." I said truthfully. Honestly, I couldn't have imagined anything better than what had just happened. And with that, we fell asleep.


	25. Chapter 25

**WARNING: LEMON**

* * *

*****Hidan's POV*  
~Earlier~

So what if we were both drunk? Neither of us seemed to care. Once that door was closed, it was an all-out fuck fest.

Even though I would have normally argued out of it, Kakuzu immediately took the dominative role and shoved his tongue right inside my mouth as soon as our lips touched. His threads were already winding themselves around my wrists, pinning them above my head as the weight of his strong body did the rest.

This was different, kissing a guy. But it was a good different. It sent all sorts of sensations throughout my body at the thought that I was kissing Kakuzu.

He wasted no more time, though. He tore my cloak off, and went straight to my pants, seeing as how I didn't wear a shirt underneath. Soon, though, we were both completely naked, and he lifted me with his tendrils to the one bed, climbing over-top of me as soon as I was down.

I shivered at the feel of the rough texture of his stitches as his kin came into contact with mine. I would have run my hands over every part of his body, but they were still tied above me, unfortunately. Pah, little prick's gotta have control over everything, huh? Oh, well. Might as well make the best of it.

I lifted my hips into his, causing him to groan in what sounded like need. I smirked and did it again, only to have my hips restricted by his large hands. He glared at me before moving down and grasping my shaft with his hand. I gasped as he instantly began pumping me, flicking his tongue along the tip.

I threw my head back and moaned out loud, not caring who the fuck might hear. I was so close to cumming when Kakuzu suddenly pulled away. My head shot up. "Hey!" I complained. He just smirked and settled between my legs.

"Can't have you cumming yet, idiot. We've only just begun." He said as he bent and lowered his lips to my flat-chested nipples, causing me to gasp in surprise. Ugh, nipple play? Really? Fuck the old bastard. Literally.

Still, it aroused me more than enough to want to beg for release at the moment. But no way was I letting that happen. Still, when he was done with that, he shifted positions so he was straddling my chest, his erect dick right in front of me. I glared up at him.

"No." I said, plain and simple. He just smirked and glanced behind him at my still waiting boner.

"Then I guess you're just going to have an issue." He said in a hinting manner. I huffed, understanding what he meant. Reluctantly, I opened my mouth and he dove right in, thrusting mercilessly. Despite my urge to, I refrained from biting down with all my might. Actually, it was kind of pleasurable. I kept my eyes on his face, watching every move he made and listening to every sound that came out of his mouth.

I felt his dick pulse in my mouth right before he let loose down my throat. I coughed and choked, but was forced to swallow it all regardless. Only then did he pull out, though he was noticeably still hard.

"Now?" I asked frustratedly. He smirked.

"Now." He said. He returned to his previous position and held three fingers at my mouth. I obediently opened and sucked on them, wetting them for preparation. When that was done, he inserted one at a time into my entrance until all three were in. Then he started thrusting them in and out, and I moaned. Being stretched hurt, but in a good way. Jashin's powers made all pain pleasurable in some way or another.

After a bit of foreplay, Kakuzu finally pulled his fingers out and readied his cock at my entrance. I wiggled my hips expectantly, only to have them held down again. I just smirked as he rammed me full-force. I let out a pure cry of ecstasy. My back arched in delight as he continuously plowed into me, ruthless in his thrusts, aiming only for his own pleasure. Too bad I was feeling it, too, huh?

He was kind enough to start pumping me with his had again, though. Sooner than I had rather preferred, I was close to cumming. When I did, my seed sprayed over both of our stomachs as his name was ripped from my throat in a scream of ecstasy. He came just a few moments after, releasing his own seed deep inside me.

Panting in post-pleasure, we both collapsed on the bed, his tendrils finally releasing my wrists. I couldn't move them even if I wanted to. I was far too weak from such a great fuck.

"Never in my immortal life, huh?" I asked with a grin. He just half-heartedly hit my shoulder and turned to face away from me. I just kept smiling and nuzzled into his back, wrapping my arms around him. I could get used to this.

*Itachi's POV*

Of all the times to wake up, it had to be then. The screams and moans coming from the rooms both beside and across from mine and Kisame's was deafening. The only reason I could figure he hadn't woken up yet was because of his obsessive snoring. Oh, poor Tobi. I prayed for his innocence that he remained asleep...


	26. Chapter 26

*Naomi's POV*

My headache was surprisingly dull that morning. That was for the better, though. I still had to go to school. It was Monday. Uuuuggghhhh.

I must have voiced that complaint because Deidara suddenly woke up beside me. "You okay, un?" He muttered tiredly, not seeming to be able to open his eye. I chuckled softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I gotta take a shower and go to school..." I said. I literally rolled out of bed and caught myself on the floor, doing a little morning push-up that sent my head spinning as I stumbled around my room and looked for some clothes. I pulled together an outfit that looked okay and left the room naked.

Luckily, no one else was awake yet, so I made it to the bathroom unnoticed and set my clothes to wait as I turned on the shower. The hot water was nice and relaxing as it streamed over my skin. Memories of last night flooded through my mind, and I wasn't sure if my cheeks were hot because of that or the hot water.

I got out and blow-dried my hair, straightening the embarrassing curls as soon as it was dry. I dressed and left, hoping to remember everything I needed. Satchel, books, paper, pencils...ummm...what else? Scissors? Did I need scissors? What classes did I have today again? Hmm...

Feeling like a lost idiot, I went out to the kitchen and checked the school calender. My eyes went wide at what I saw and I let a very audible, very high-pitched "WHOO!" Jeez, I nearly scared myself with that sound.

It was spring break! Yes! Yay, yay, yay! I calmed myself after a little happy-dance and settled for grinning hugely. Two weeks off, hell yeah! No wonder Samantha said "when we get back to school" instead of just saying Monday. More Akatsuki time! Yay!

Okay, happy-girl moment, over. Let's restart the day by making some breakfast. I pulled out the pancake batter and started on that. Deidara came out shortly after.

"Is everything okay? I thought I heard something, un..." He said, rubbing the back of his head tiredly and yawning. He'd put on his cloak, but I doubted he went through all the trouble of really dressing...grrrr my thoughts.

"Yeah, like, five minutes ago you did." I said with a smile. "Turns out I'm on spring break from school. Two weeks of solo-time." I said happily as I flipped pancakes. I had four pans going, each with four of their own pancakes.

"You act like you cook like this all the time, un." Deidara said, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I laughed a little.

"No, I just like cooking. It's nice to have people to cook for other than myself." I said, flipping again before stacking them all on a plate. Onto the turkey bacon...

Deidara let go (leaving my back bare and cold, sad face) and fished out a muffin thing from one of the cabinets. It was the biggest one I had, holding five by five little indentions for the muffins. It made sense, what with all the people I was feeding. I liked how he and everyone else kind of just jumped into helping with cooking whenever.

So we made sixteen pancakes, twenty-five muffins (some chocolate, some plain), twenty strips of turkey bacon, and a bit of scrambled eggs if anyone wanted any. Deidara and I went ahead and got our plates fixed and sat down as we waited for the others to join. Itachi was the first to rise from the dead.

He glared at us with baggy eyes before yawning hugely. "Have fun last night, you two?" He asked suddenly. We both choked on our food.

"I'm sorry, what?!" I asked incredulously, although I already knew what he meant. He wasn't supposed to know that! What the hell?!

"Yeah. You and the Immortals did a great job at keeping me up all night. I'll take your apology in the form of this breakfast, though. Your cooking is rather delectable." Itachi said, sitting down at the other end of the table. Deidara and I just looked at each other for a second and laughed. "So is there a reason you're both up so early after that?" Itachi added. I rolled my eyes.

"I thought I had to go to school, but it turns out I'm on break for two weeks." I said cheerfully before downing another pancake. Itachi just nodded as he sipped from his special tea.

Footsteps had us turning to the next two to wake up. Dei and I just grinned at them.

"What are you two fuckers looking at?" Hidan asked annoyedly. We busted out laughing at that. Oh, the irony. The silver-hair just seemed to shrug it off as he loaded his plate before Kakuzu. The two sat next to each other, but we decided to let them eat in peace, since we didn't get the chance to.

"Jeez, I cannot believe you four!" An annoyed voice called as the blue-skin entered the room. "It was like you were competing to see who could scream the loudest. I tried to drown you all out, but even my snoring has its limits." Kisame said, grabbing a plate and loading some food. By now, it was just funny as hell to us, but Hidan and Kakuzu both looked away.

"So I take it I guessed right?" I asked with a smirk.

"Shut the fuck up. Least I wasn't fucking blondie, the Little Miss Priss." He muttered. I kicked him under the table. "OW!" He hollered.

"What?" I asked innocently. He just glared at me and I smiled sweetly. Dei put a hand on my thigh, and I turned my smile on him, although it was genuine now.


	27. Chapter 27

"Tobi's head hurts..." Tobi said as he finally walked in, dragging his feet.

"Has he ever had a hangover?" I asked the others. They shrugged. I shook my head and turned to Tobi. "Would you like a pill or something?" I asked kindly. He froze and jumped away from the table.

"No! No pills! Tobi's head is fine now!" He claimed hurriedly. I turned back to the others questioningly.

"He hates swallowing pills. He's afraid he'll choke on one." Itachi said. I nodded.

"Well, how about some Tylenol? You just chew it." I assured him. He nodded slowly. I smiled and got up to retrieve the small pellet things from the medicine cabinet. I read the back first. "Are you allergic to anything?" I asked him. He shrugged. I looked at the others. They shrugged. "Some comrades." I muttered before pouring two into my hand. "Here. Just chew and swallow these and you should feel better soon." I said, handing him the chewables. He nodded and did as I said. Gee, quiet little thing nowadays, huh?

It was a fairly quiet breakfast until the house phone rang. Curious, I got up and looked at the number. Oh, it was Samantha. I answered it. "Yesh?" I asked.

"Hey! Um, I tried calling you last night, but you didn't answer. But I broke up with Jacob for you. He didn't take it too well. He's coming over to your house today." She said worriedly. My eyes went wide.

"WHAT?!" I yelled into the phone, gripping the small machine like a lifeline. It was either that or dropping it.

"Yeah, I know. He's getting his mom to drop him off there. What are you going to do?" She asked. I leaned forward and gripped the edge of the counter tightly.

"If that bastard thinks he's gonna play me like he did and get upset over me breaking up with him, he's got another thing coming. I'll -" I was cut off by a knock at the door. I smirked. "He's here. Call you back later." I said.

"But -" I hung up on her and put the phone down before marching straight to the door, which was still being subject to hard banging. I swung it open, and there he was.

"Is there something you want?" I asked, acid practically dripping from my mouth. His face was pissed as hell, but so was mine now.

"Why did you get Samantha to break up with me for you? What? Can't tell me to my face?" He spat right back. I got up in his face, causing him to take a step back in surprise.

"I. Am. Breaking. Up. With. You." I said, slowly and distinctly so his small brain could process it. He looked stunned.

"But why? I thought you said you loved me." He said, his cold expression finding its way back.

"Yeah, well, I was wrong. I was fucking way wrong, to think I could be in love with you. So why don't you march your little ass off my property." I said, taking another step so I was over the threshold, too.

"No, you listen here, Itei." He said, gaining his ground back. "I am sick and tired of playing your little games. I'm starting to think that whole diary thing was a fucking lie. You were playing me last year. You're playing me this year. Well, you know what? I'm done playing." He declared. I scoffed.

"You can't quit after you're fired. So go on, get." I said, shooing him with my hand. Before I could move, though, he was suddenly on me again, his lips pressed to mine. I stumbled back and pushed him away. "What the hell, you bastard?!" I yelled, wiping my mouth. He sneered.

"That first kiss is mine. Just keep that mind from now on." He said. I was about to say something, but a hand on my shoulder had me stopping. I didn't need to turn to know who it was. I'd rather watch the dumbfounded look on Jacob's face.

"I'm afraid you're a little late in that department, un. Her first kiss is mine, and so is she, un." Deidara said, pulling me closer to his side. Jacob blinked.

"What? You made out with some cosplaying loser? Low, Itei, low." He said. I smirked.

"Show him your hands, will you, Dei?" I asked nicely. The blonde obliged and showed his palm. Jacob went wide-eyed and gaped. But then he seemed to regain himself.

"He's a freak! That's all he is, a freak! And so are you, Itei. Everyone knows it. You don't even have parents to tell you right from wrong." He snarled. Next thing he knew, he was lying flat on the pavement, blood dripping from his nose. But I wasn't finished yet.

"You shut the hell up, Reining! Shut your fucking mouth!" I yelled. There it went. My last bit of cool just snapped. I stormed over and picked him up by his collar, easily lifting him into the air with a sudden surge of adrenaline. "If you think, for one second, that you have anything on me, you are dead wrong!" I yelled, punching him in the face again. "Come to my house again and find out what it really feels like to have your heart 'broken'!" I dropped him and kicked him one last time in the stomach for good measure. He coughed up blood. "Now get the hell off my property." I ordered. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled away like the little obedient pup he was. Pups don't mess with the wolves, or they get their asses handed to them.


	28. Chapter 28

I turned back, suddenly losing all the energy I just gained. I made my way back to Deidara, who was grinning hugely in the doorway - enjoying the show, it seemed. He put an arm around me as I came back into the house and closed the door. Everyone seemed to have accumulated in the livingroom again. They were all grinning at me.

"What?" I asked weakly, sitting down on a chair.

"You didn't see what Deidara just did there?" Kisame asked, still smiling. I furrowed my eyes and looked at him.

"No, what?" I asked.

"He infused his chakra into you. Those blows were made using chakra, though you honestly didn't need it. Your strength was magnified to near ninja level." Itachi said. I went wide-eyed.

"Are you serious?!" I asked, my own smile forming. Dei smiled and nodded, sitting down next to me.

"That was pretty impressive, un. You would do well in Tai-jutsu." He said. I was still excited just about the chakra thing.

"Do you think you could do it again?" I asked hopefully. He shrugged.

"Yeah, of course, un." He said, then smiled. "Why?" I smiled right back.

"I want to practice jutsu." I said simply. We looked at the others.

"I suppose it's fine, but don't get your hopes up. Only people who are meant to be Shinobi possess the ability to wield chakra." Itachi said. I nodded and ignored everything he said and dragged Deidara by the hand out the front door.

I ran past the new blood stain on my cement porch and across the road, past the field, and way past my usual emo-tree. Deidara laughed when I finally stopped and waited for instructions.

"Alright, I'm going to do what I did before first, okay, un?" He asked; I nodded. I waited for a moment until I felt that same surge of energy well up inside me again. Smile broadly, I fisted my hand and punched a tree. It left what I thought was a good-sized dent. He chuckled some more at my trigger-happy attitude. "See, what I did there was basically focus your chakra for you, un. Now I want to see if you can focus it, un." He said.

I nodded and waited again, paying close attention to the feeling this time. I felt the energy, and I struggled with myself to find a way to control it. Every time I thought I had a hold of it and Deidara began to release it to me, it kept finding ways to escape. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, forming the well-known handsign for focusing chakra.

I imagined my body as the diagram I'd seen in one of the season one episodes, when Sakura was explaining things to Naruto. The center of the chakra was somewhere in my stomach, and the rest flowed throughout veins that were closely intertwined with my arteries. I focused on those arteries. My heart, my lungs, my liver. All of it was there. I could Deidara's chakra flowing throughout me, but did I even possess my own? I could only tell with practice.

I continued to hold the pose and and focus on the chakra he was giving me. It was like I could see it in my mind. The blue streams that webbed my body. But, wait a second...where was the part that connected it to Deidara?

Surprise had me suddenly losing control as I opened my eyes to look at him. A huge gust of wind engulfed me for a moment as all the chakra escaped. Now light-headed and surprisingly drained, I leaned heavily against the nearest tree trunk. Deidara hurried over to me.

"Are you okay, un?" He asked worriedly. I nodded.

"Did I almost get it?" I asked, my voice a tad bit hoarse.

"More than a little, un. You had it completely under control until you got distracted. Remember to keep focused, un." He advised. I nodded and pushed off the tree to stand on my own. "You wanna try again, un?" He asked; I nodded again.

The same thing happened, and I made sure to concentrate solely on the chakra he was giving me. When the line cut off and it was completely in my hands, I held the position. I wanted to get all excited that I was actually doing it, but I forced myself to remain impassive. I had to perfect this - this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I slowly released my handsign when I thought I had it. I was able to stand up straight before it all blew away again. I gasped and fell to my knees, feeling incredibly weak all of a sudden. Deidara was by me in a flash.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Let's try it a-" He cut me off as he helped me up.

"No way. You've already exerted yourself too far today, un. It takes a lot out of people who aren't Shinobi to control chakra. It was amazing how far you got, but there are limits to what your body can handle, un." He said, pulling my arm around his shoulders as he started guiding me back through the forest. I didn't have the breath to argue with him, which only convinced me that he was right.


	29. Chapter 29

**Just for Rappy Yo Yo, who's been so supportive of the story :D Have fun reading! :P**

* * *

Deidara wound up half-carrying me back to the house. I was barely able to stay conscious, but I looked questioningly up at Dei when he stopped just behind the treeline. I followed his hard gaze forward when he didn't say anything.

There, parked in front of my house, were two cruisers. And on my front patio were three police, and one sickeningly familiar boy.  
Jacob.

Eyes narrowing, I pushed myself off of Dei, telling him to stay hidden. My ex caught sight of me as I crossed the road, bringing the cops to attention as well. They waited until I'd reached them to start talking.

"Ma'am, would you happen to be Naomi Itei?" One cop asked, holding up an official badge.

"Yes, that's me. Is there something I can help you with, officers?" I asked, forcing myself to stand up straight as I regulated my breathing.

"This young man here claims to have seen multiple people breaking into your house. He described them as wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them. He was also able to provide specific detail on one: fair-length, blonde hair partially covering his face; one visible blue eye; and a mouth on his hands." He paused to glance disbelievingly at Jacob, who didn't notice. Then he looked at me and waited for a reply.

"Well, for starters, this kid has no reason to be anywhere near my house. He doesn't live in this neighborhood." I said, flickering my cold eyes to Jacob, who narrowed his back. "Secondly, I know the people that fit that description. Well, minus the part with the 'hand-mouths', that's ridiculous." I air-quoted the words. "And third, they wouldn't be breaking into my house for anything. They live with me and haven't left the vicinity all day." I told them.

"Are you positive? You weren't in the house just now. We've been waiting for a good five minutes and haven't heard anything inside, either." Another cop said. Before I could answer, the door opened just then, and we all turned to see Itachi standing in the doorway. He wasn't wearing his cloak.

* * *

**And yes, I know! Short chapter, I sowwy ); I'll make it up to you guys, I promise!**


	30. Chapter 30

"Hello, Naomi. We've been awaiting your return. We weren't sure what to do when these men showed up, so we simply retired to our rooms." The Uchiha said smoothly. Nice!

"That's fine. Gentlemen, I do believe this has all been a misunderstanding. We aren't used to company." I said, slipping by them to stand somewhat protectively beside Itachi. Jacob was seething silently. But then I felt a body walk up behind me.

"Is there a problem, un?" Dei asked calmly, placing a hand on my shoulder. I wasn't surprised he'd gotten back inside the house unseen. He was a ninja, after all.

"That's the one with the mouths on his hands!" Jacob yelled, pointing like a child.

"Sir, please keep your voice down." The third cop said, a woman who'd been writing stuff down on a clipboard the whole time. "Is it okay if we check his hands, miss?" She asked. I looked at Dei and he smiled politely.

"I don't see why not, un. Sorry, I did obtain a rather nasty cut that I haven't been able to bandage, though, un." He said, holding up his other hand, palm facing up. Instead of the mouth, there was what seemed to be a bloody gash. The lips of the mouth were positioned just so, so that it seemed like the cut he described. There was a red fluid oozing from it, though. I hoped that was ketchup...

"That is a deep wound you got there." The first cop said. "Mind if I ask you how you got it?" He asked.

"I was trying to cut some meat slices for a sandwich, un. Suppose I could have used a smaller knife." Dei answered, a bit of humor in his voice to make it casual. The cops suddenly looked tired. The woman looked at Jacob.

"See, kid? There's nothing to worry about. It was all just a misunderstanding." She said with a seemingly forced smile.

"Oh, I should remind you. There was no reason for him to be near my house, nor this neighborhood." I repeated. "You see, officers, we just went through a rather harsh break-up, and the last time he came here, there was trouble." I said, my eyes turning back on Jacob. If looks could kill...Still, he looked absolutely furious. I smiled inwardly.

"S'at right? Well, young man? Got anything to say for yourself?" The second one asked him with raised brows.

"No, sir. I have nothing to say. Goodbye, now." Jacob stated before turning on his heel and storming off down the street, fists balled.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, ma'am. We'll have a talk with his parents and see what we can do about his being here." The first one said. "But, for safety precautions, we'd like to take a look around the house. If it's alright with you, that is." He said. I stepped aside respectfully. I knew they didn't have a warrant or anything, but I saw no reason to stop them. It would just make me look suspicious if I said no. They came inside and I waited by the door, along with Itachi and Deidara.

One went inside the kitchen, and my eyes followed out of curiosity. I smiled. There was a half-made sandwich on a plate on the counter, a slab of turkey ham next to it. There was a rather large knife there, too, the blade covered in what I still hoped was ketchup. The cop saw it and nodded to himself before returning with the other two.

"Well, everything seems fine. I recommend you get that hand bandaged up right away, though, sir." The woman said. Dei nodded.

"Good idea, un." He said before making his way down the hall to the bathroom. The woman and the second cop left then, while the first remained.

"Could I have a quick word with you?" He asked me.

"Uh, sure." I said, glancing at Itachi. He nodded and went back to his room. I looked at the cop curiously.

"I know this may sound a bit nosy, but those men aren't forcing you into anything, are they?" He asked quietly, though I knew the others could hear, anyway. I wanted to laugh my ass off at those words, but I managed to keep a straight face.

"I appreciate your concern, officer, but there's no need to worry. You'll find I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." I said as calmly as possible. He just nodded.

"That's reassuring to know. I'll be leaving now." He said with a smile before leaving, too. The Akatsuki came out when the cruisers were gone.

"That was noble and all, but I couldn't help but notice you didn't answer his question, un." Deidara said as he reappeared in the livingroom. Before replying, I reached down and lifted his hand to check his palm. I smiled when I saw it was fine. I was worried, okay?

"Well, I figured the answer was implied." I said, evading his inferred question, too. He raised his brow.

* * *

**See? I'm a good girl, just like Tobi!**

**Oh, and I totally forgot. Let me know if there's anything I could improve on! I would LOVE that!**


	31. Chapter 31

"That's not a straight answer, either, un." He said, his voice turning serious. "Is there something I should know about, un?" He asked. Everyone started filing out of their rooms then, eyes glancing at each other wearily. I sighed.

"Not yet." I said. He furrowed his brows.

"What do you mean, un?" He asked. I walked over and sat heavily on the couch, my fatigue catching up to me from earlier.

"Well, you guys are the Akatsuki. I didn't want to chance lying for future reference." I said sadly. Yes, I was still cautious about the S-rank criminals that were living in my home. Who wouldn't be? I mean, I loved them to death, but after seeing what they could do, the fact that I was still alive continued to amaze me.

"Naomi." Deidara moved to kneel in front of me, taking my hand firmly in his. He looked straight into my eyes, an emotion in his that I didn't quite understand. "None of us would ever hurt you, un. You have to know that by now. Sure, we were cautious at first, but who wouldn't be a little scared after traveling to a new dimension, un? You've done nothing but help us these past few days, completely aware of our capabilities, but you set them aside regardless, un." He said.

"We may not have known you for long, but we do know you're a good person." Itachi said, walking around the back of the couch to put a hand on my shoulder. "Deidara's right. We wouldn't ever hurt you, after all you've done for us. Whether or not you would be the same person in our world is meaningless. The fact of the matter is, we're here, and so are you. You're our friend anywhere."

"I know we may not look it, but we can be some pretty fucking good people when we want to be. We know a fucking friend when we find one, and you're one of them, like it or not." Hidan said, sitting on the arm-rest. "Be the sexy, anti-social, emo freak I am, I don't turn away from friends. We're in it the whole fucking nine-yards." He claimed.

"I agree one-hundred and ten percent. We'd lay down our lives for you, just like we would each other. The Akatsuki aren't always one big dysfunctional family. We have our faults, but we also have our bright spots." Kisame said.

"I'm not usually one to say this kind of thing, but what we say is true. It's not everyday we come across someone like you." Kakuzu said, surprising everyone. "You're a person who comes along once in a millenia, if that. You were scared of us, like anyone would be, but because of how you grew up, you faced your fears and befriended us. It's not a talent many people have."

"Tobi loves his new friend! Naomi-chan is really nice and cooks really good food." Tobi said, weaving around everybody to encase me in a choke-hug. "Tobi doesn't wanna leave Naomi-chan." He said, a little sadder this time, as he released me. That, of course, brought to mind the ultimate ending to this happy story.

"But you'll have to leave sooner or later..." I said. Everyone's heads went down. "Look, what you guys have said means the world to me, but whether either of us likes it or not, you have to go back to your world for the sake of Naruto." Then I sighed. "But that's probably a long ways off. I want to live this up while I can." They all looked back up to see my smiling face. "I want to start with getting you all out of this stuffy old house. We're going shopping." I said, unable to suppress my huge grin.

I ignored their confused, yet cheerful, expressions and dashed off to my room. I opened my closet door and pushed around the clothes hanging on the racks until I found the small safe in the wall. Still smiling, I unlocked it and marveled at the stored-up cash there.

I had been saving it for text school, like Yasmine suggested I should go to, but I recently found out the first year's free if I get good grades in high school. Like a scholarship, I guess you could say. So I scooped up the money and made sure it was all there, just how I'd left it.

There were three stacks: one had ten twenty dollar bills, one had ten tens, and the third had three one-hundreds. I suppose you could say I wasn't a heavy spender when it came to necessities and such. So let's see, between the seven of us, each of us would get...roughly eighty-five dollars. That's perfect for shopping! If we went to the stores I went to normally, clothes wouldn't cost too much, and then the rest could be spent on fun stuff.


	32. Chapter 32

I came out with the money and started dividing it between them. Kakuzu seemed to take extra special care when he held the money, which I laughed at. I told them to leave their cloaks here and we set out.

I was glad to see the neighbor's car was gone when we started walking down the side-walk. I mean, come on, one fourteen-year-old girl with six something-or-other-year-old men would have seemed just a tad bit suspicious. I was fairly certain Deidara was, like, eighteen or something, and Hidan maybe in his early twenties, and, if I remembered correctly, Kakuzu was ninety-one years old, but I was clueless about the others. Moving on...

The place we were heading to was a shopping plaza that had, like, a bajillion stores that sold stuff at really low prices. There was one store there in particular that I bought all my clothes at. And they had all sorts of styles, so the others should have a good selection to choose from.

It didn't take long to get there, and when we did, we blended right in with the public. Even Kisame didn't stand out too much. You would not believe some of the things people walked out in public with. There was one guy we passed that had his face painted like a T-rex or something. Pfft, at least Kisame looked real.

So we walked into the store I mentioned. I turned to them after we got out of the way of the door. "Okay, go look for three outfits each. One for casual wear, one for warm weather, and the other for whatever. You can get whatever accessories you want, just leave some money for later." I told them. Looking confident, they started maneuvering the store. Even though it was hilarious to see them looking through clothes racks, I wandered about to get me a new outfit, too. I wasn't a priss, but a girl at a clothing store can never stay put for long.

It only took about twenty minutes for us to meet up back at the entrance. They'd all taken it upon themselves to change into one of their outfits. Hidan had on a grey V-neck T, some loose-fitting khaki shorts (omg moment), and a pair of light-coloured flip flops. Kakuzu now wore a short-sleeved black shirt that hugged his body and showed off the stitches on his arms, dark grey jeans and some casual black puma suede shoes. Kisame found a navy blue T, scrunched at the bottom black skinny jeans, and grey nikes. Itachi had on a baggy black V-neck T, dark blue jeans, and simple black tennis shoes. Tobi picked out a bright yellow T and orange skinnies, along with some white sneakers. I couldn't argue with the colour scheme.

Deidara was such a fucking tease, though! He just had on an unbuttoned black over-shirt (showing off his nice abs and just a bit of the thing on his chest...), grey skinnies, and black converse shoes that came up to his knees. I had to draw together all my willpower not to drool on the spot.


	33. Chapter 33

Clearing my throat and somehow tearing my eyes away from the sight of the gorgeous angel before me, I turned to the others.

"Now the fun begins. Come on, I have a feeling you'll get a kick out of this." I said with a sly grin, beckoning them to follow as we left the store. We wound our way through the streets and finally came to the building I was looking for.

We walked inside to find ourselves in a dimly lit area, neon lights illuminated certain sections of the building. There were five sections in all. One was set for a dance-off in Dance Dance Revolution 2. Another was set up for karaoke. And then another was just a smooth black floor used for showing off your moves - break-dancing and more. The fourth was one big dance floor for everyone, and the fifth was a rest area with drinks and complementary food and such. This place was called "Dance 'Til Ya Drop".

"I could fucking get used to this place." Hidan said, stepping forward. When his eyes caught the D.D.R 2 section, they lit up. "Oh, shit. Now I gotta know..." He said, turning to Deidara. "Remember when we had that big fucking argument on who could dance better?" He asked excitedly. Deidara grinned.

"You're on, un." He said. They both hurried over to the section, and we followed close behind. I was shocked speechless. Those two? Dancing? Like, here? I mean, that's kind of the idea I had when I brought them here, but the fact that they jumped on it so quickly was stunning in itself.

The dance pads opened up then and they jumped on. I had to take advantage of this. "Do you guys know how to play?" I asked with a grin.

"No, what the fuck do you do? There are too many fucking buttons." Hidan said, glaring at the control board in front of him. I reached forward and brought up the song list (full versions).

"I'll select a song and all you have to do is follow the arrows. Back, front, left and right." I said, pointing to each spot on the pad. "Think you can do it?" I asked hopefully. They nodded, turning to smirk at each other with determination.

"You're going down, blondie." Hidan claimed.

"Suck my dick, un." Deidara threw back, readying himself on his pad. I laughed and pressed start on the song I chose, swiftly putting it on hard before they noticed. Dance Partay, by the DKC Crew. Should be challenge enough.

After the opening, the arrows flew up on the screen. They were on it in a second, only missing the first few before they got the hang of it. I stood back and gaped at them. Holy shit, they were really good. They free-styled the combo moves, making the dance a lot more interesting than it originally was.

It wasn't long before a crowd started to form, and cheers could be heard from the assembled people. I doubted anyone here even knew what Naruto was, so I figured we were safe on the side of anyone recognizing them. Still, they were doing so well, they got double the points.

But the real catch was when they jumped and switched sides without missing a beat. This elicited a huge roar from the crowd, including ourselves. It was depressing when the song ended and they got off, still hyped up.

We pushed through the crowd to get back to the main area, Hidan and Deidara getting huge congratulations along the way. Jeez, that was awesome! Wish I could dance that good...

"I don't know what fucking song that was, but that was fucking great! You got some fucking moves, blondie. I'll give you that." Hidan stated with a goofy grin. Dei shrugged.

"Now you'll know not to question my skills, un." He said, putting his arm comfortably around me. They just laughed and we started roaming.


	34. Chapter 34

"Oi! There's fucking karaoke! Itaaachiiiiii!" Hidan called out over the music, looking over his shoulder at the raven who was suddenly at the back of the group. Wait, what?! Itachi? And karaoke? Come again?

"There is no way in hell I am going up there and singing, moron." Itachi grumbled, turning away from us.

"I didn't know you sang." Kisame said. Then he grinned. "I wanna hear." The Uchiha glared at him.

"No." He said simply.

"Oh, there is no fucking way you're getting out of this. If blondie could get up there and risk looking like a total fucking doofus, you can do the same." Hidan said. Dei glared at him, as did I, but he ignored it. Either that or didn't notice. Zealot...

"For the last time, I said -" I cut him off.

"I'll sing with you." All eyes turned on me, but I was somehow able to keep the blushing to a minimum. Although they probably couldn't see, due to the low lighting.

"You sing, too?" Deidara asked, interested. I smiled shyly and nodded. He smiled back. "Now this I gotta here, un." He said, turning to Itachi. "Come on, for her, un?" He asked. I peeked around him.

"For me?" I added with a cute puppy-dog face. He pursed his lips and looked away for a moment. Then he sighed and looked back, the corners of his lips tilting up just a little.

"Fine, but only for you." He said finally. Fangirl moment. Okay, we're good. I wriggled out from under Dei's arm and grabbed Itachi's hand, practically dragging him up to the stage. Luckily for the both of us and our stage-fright, there was no one in the area except for the rest of the Akatsuki.

"Alright, which song should we do?" I asked, scrolling through the touch screen to look at the different songs. I didn't want a gender-specific one, where only a certain sex could sing the song and make it sound good.

"It's up to you, I suppose." Itachi said in a bored tone. I scowled at him.

"What if I chose a song you don't know?" I asked skeptically. He smirked.

"I thought you knew everything about us, Naomi. My Sharingan allows me to copy movements down to the very last detail. I could simply copy the movement of your lips and the sound-waves emitting from them." He said. I gave him the "not bad" look before turning back to the device. I smiled when I found one that was to my liking.

I pressed play and handed him a microphone. When the music started, he turned to me with wide-eyes. I smiled again. Looks like he knew the song. Huh.

"Let me know that I've done wrong, when I've known this all along." I started out. He joined in on the next line. "I go around a time or two, just to waste my time with you."

"Tell me all that you've thrown away! Find out games you don't wanna play. You are, the only one that needs to knoooow!" Oh my fucking goddess, he sounded amazing.

"I'll keep you my dirty little secret! Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret. My dirty little secret...Who has to know?"

Looking down as I sang with him, I saw the others were just as surprised as I was. Itachi's voice was just...indescribable. I wasn't sure if he really was copying my lips, or if he was singing from his own knowledge, but it was a sound I could learn to love.

When I happened to look up, I caught his eyes. His Sharingan wasn't activated. But he did hold my gaze. His onyx eyes shone brightly in the flashing colours that surrounded the room. I was still focused on them when I hit a long note and held it, putting as much power into my voice as I could to meet his. It was an awe-inspiring experience that lasted only a few seconds.

But when the song came to end, I had to catch my breath. Just trying to keep up with his singing was a vocal work-out. I followed him off the stage, but stood next to Deidara by habit. His arm was around me again, but it suddenly felt just a tad bit more possessive. Awwww, he was the jealous type.

"Well, I'm satisfied." Kisame said with a smirk at his partner. Itachi just remained quiet.

"Okay, I think I've had enough of this place. Besides, there's still loads more to do." I said, walking through and out of the building with them in tail.


	35. Chapter 35

I had to squint when we got outside. The sun was high in the sky and was extremely bright after being in that dark room all this time. Winding our way through the plaza again, I felt Deidara's arm slide down around my waist, hugging me closer to him. This only made me blush and smile slightly. Although I didn't fucking know why. I mean, we already, you know...slept together and all. Guess it was just nerves.

We stopped at a quaint little buffet for lunch. After that, we went to a skating rink. Deidara, Hidan, Tobi and I were the only ones that skated, though. Tch, old farts didn't know how to have fun. But it was thrilling enough to see the three Akatsuki members learn to skate for the first time. It wasn't long, though, before Dei and Hidan got the hang of it and started racing each other around the rink. Tobi and I stayed at a relaxed pace while they did all sorts of cool tricks. Even the other skaters stopped to watch. Pfft, show offs.

When we left there, I decided to go somewhere everyone should enjoy. We went to the 24/7 fairgrounds. We all split up and did separate things. Kakuzu even joined in on the action, finding all sorts of scam booths and scamming the scammers out of their money.

Kisame went to go shoot clown heads with water guns and later went off to the small aquarium. Hidan had at it with all the strength-specialized games, like the one where you hit a plate with a hammer and the bell sprung up to hit the top of the tower thing. We even caught him spear-tossing at plush dummies, which he was getting a kick out of.

Tobi ran off to the bumper-cars, half good-natured fun with all the children that joined him. Deidara and I just got some cotton candy and walked around together. It was almost like we were a...a...couple...

Shrugging that thought aside, I just enjoyed the moment of solitude. We weren't bothered by anyone, even though some kids passing got all excited and said Dei was a great cosplayer. I only laughed at that, even though he got an odd look on his face.

After a while, we found a secluded little bench overlooking a pond at the edge of the fairgrounds and sat down. I was surprised to see the sun was already losing its height in the sky. It turned the clouds all sorts of pretty pinks and oranges, like a sunset in one of those happily-ever-after movies. I sighed in content and snuggled closer to Dei.

"Can I ask you something, un?" He said. I could feel his chest vibrate from how I was partially leaning on it. He felt like a pillow again...I just hummed in response. "Were you glad you gave your virginity to me, un?" He asked. I opened my eyes (which I hadn't known were closed), but didn't move.

"Deidara, it was possibly the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I'm thrilled." I admitted truthfully. "What about you?" He started stroking my hair.

"I can't think of anyone I'd rather have given myself to, un. Meeting you was a miracle, and I'm glad I get to spend so much time with you." He said. I could hear the honesty in his voice. I closed my eyes again, feeling like I could fall asleep right then and there. I might have, actually...


	36. Chapter 36

*Deidara's POV*

I continued to stroke Naomi's hair as I felt her fall asleep on me. It was so soft and silky, I could stroke it all day. The setting sun was the perfect ending to a perfect day, as the saying goes. But I couldn't think of anything better to describe it. Everything was perfect the way it was...

But it wouldn't be soon.

Like she said, we'd still have to go back to our world to do our job. Leader was probably pissed at us right now for disappearing on him. He was supposed to be somewhere in Yukigakure with Konan. He never told us why he left, he just did. We suspected they'd gone on some secret honeymoon after the secret marriage we came up with when they disappeared last time.

Still, we could have come back at anytime. And the others - Sasori and Zetsu - were probably getting suspicious, too. Come to think of it, I wondered why Naomi hadn't summoned them, too. But my made-up answer to that question only had me grinning. Naomi didn't like them...

But I forced my mind to stay on subject. We did have to leave, whether we liked it or not. Sigh, I wasn't sure what I was going to do then. I thought I spoke for everyone when I say we'd gotten attached to this world. And Naomi herself. They were right, about everything they said. She was a one of a kind, and great person to have around as a friend.

But she was so much more to me. I've known I've been in love with her for a while now, and I knew it was going to be like hell to leave her. After making love to her, I was sure. There was no one else I would ever want but her. Besides, we'd given our innocence to each other. There was no getting around that. We belonged with each other, and that was final.

But I was jarred from my thoughts as a body suddenly appeared in front of me. I looked up to see Kisame.

"Come on, everyone's waiting. We're heading home." He said quietly. I nodded and shifted Naomi so I could pick her up bridal-style without waking her. She looked so at peace when she slept. Her features were completely relaxed - she didn't have to worry about anything when she slept. I wished it could stay like that...

But Kisame and I met up with the others by the entrance to the fairgrounds using our ninja speed. There were very few people left out, so we were able to get back to her house unnoticed. Once there, everyone made off to bed without question, even saying goodnight to each other.

I carried Naomi to her room, laying her down gently and sliding in beside her. I gently brushed a few hairs from her face, taking one last look at her angelic features, and then fell asleep, too.

*Naomi's POV*

It was actually peaceful waking up that morning. I was able to sleep in, thanks to it being spring break and I didn't have work today. I had somewhat expected Deidara to be there, and he was, so I cuddled closer to him. I still didn't want to wake up yet. I wanted to savor the moment of just being with him.

But, out of nowhere, a thought protruded my mind. But just that one thought had every part of my being freezing.

My period was late.

It was supposed to start yesterday, but it never did. I even remembered expecting it when I was really moody the day before. 'Okay, calm yourself, there's no reason to panic' I thought to myself. I sat up as carefully as I could, so as not to wake Dei. Doing that successfully, I crawled out of bed and left the room as I quickly went to the bathroom.

Yeah, there was no blood. What the fuck.

"This is normal. Periods can be late sometimes. Just stay calm..." I told myself. I sighed and started to brush my teeth, all the while keeping my eyes on my stomach. 'You're paranoid...'

I finished and stretched, but instantly recoiled in pain. Gasping and pressing a hand to my stomach, my eyes widened. Holy fucking hell! I could feel it! Like, not the baby, hell no. But I could feel the hardened part of my stomach where I knew the embryonic sac to be. That was never there before!

My heart was racing and my panic was rising, despite the thoughts my mind tried to calm me with. 'It's just your imagination. There's nothing there. You're hallucinating.' Ignoring myself, I dug under the sink until I found what I was looking for.

I covered my mouth with my hand. "Oh goddess...oh goddess, oh fucking goddess!" I yelled at myself. Tears immediately welled up in my eyes. This couldn't be happening! I was only fourteen! Fucking fourteen! How could I be...be...

Pregnant?!

I sat on the edge of my bathtub and dropped my head in my hands. Then I just sobbed. I cried like there was no tomorrow. Why me? Why am I pregnant? This shouldn't be happening!

Then there was a knock on the door. "Naomi? Are you okay, un? I heard yelling." Dei's voice said. I wiped at my eyes and stood, grabbing the stupid thermometer thing off the sink counter.

I opened the door to see him standing there. He furrowed his brows at me, obvious seeing my red eyes. Before he could ask, I put the small device in his hand and walked past him, heading in nowhere in particular.


	37. Chapter 37

*Deidara's POV*

My jaw dropped as I studied the object Naomi put in my hand. I knew what the plus sign meant. I nearly dropped the thing, but managed to put it on the sink counter before sprinting off after her. I ran in front of her and turned to take her hand. She looked up at me in surprise.

"Is it true? Really, un?" I asked, my eagerness clear in my voice. She nodded slowly. I let out a small breath before smiling from ear to ear. I picked her up and literally swung her around in a circle before holding her still and planting a kiss smack on her lips. She stumbled back in surprise. "I can't believe it, un! Really, I can't. This is...this is...amazing. Just flat out amazing, un." I said, still grinning like a mad-man.

Her eyes put a damper on my mood.

"What's wrong, un?" I asked, worried now. She looked a little distant. I cupped her face with my hand to get her to look right at me.

"Deidara...I'm fourteen years old...how am I supposed to handle this?" She said in a whisper. I pursed my lips and lead her over to the couch, sitting down beside her as I pulled her to me.

"You don't need to worry, un. I'll be here. We'll handle it together, un." I said, rubbing her back soothingly. It just occurred to me how much of a shock this must've been to her. But it was a different kind of shock than mine. She was so young, and still in school. But she wasn't going to be alone, I would -

"No." I looked at her, stunned. She looked back sadly. "You won't be here, Dei. Pregnancy lasts nine months. You'll be back in your world long before then." She said, her eyes turning mysteriously bright. Oh yeah. I forgot about reality for a minute there. I swallowed hard through my now dry throat.

"Naomi..." I whispered her name, putting a soft hand back on her face as tears started streaming from her eyes. I almost felt the same thing coming on. "I'm so sorry, un." I said, kissing her forehead. I held her close as she started sobbing into my chest, like I guessed she was doing in the bathroom.

Now I was mad. I was mad at everything. I was mad that I couldn't be there for her; I was mad that she'd have to go through this by herself; I was mad that I wouldn't be here to protect her from that jerk ex of hers. Why couldn't I just stay? Oh, that's right, because I was an anime character.

Well, you know what? Fuck logic! I would be here to see her have the baby, if nothing else. She could summon us back, right? I mean, after we got this website virus business all sorted out, she could just do the same thing again. I didn't care when - I didn't care how. All I cared about was Naomi and helping her raise our child.

"Is everything okay?" Someone asked from behind. Naomi tried to wipe her tears away, but I just covered her from whom I sensed was Kisame's sight.

"Just go back to bed, Kisame. Now's not a good time, un." I growled. Without another word, he left and I turned back to my love. "Hey, everything's going to be okay, un. I'll find a way to make this better." I said, lifting her chin with a finger.

"How?" She asked, sounding completely hopeless.

"I don't know yet, but just trust me, un." I said. I was going to say more, but there was a knock on the door. Really? I sighed sharply. "I'll get it." I said, annoyed that we kept getting interrupted. She allowed this and I got up and opened the door, ready to tell off whoever it was.


	38. Chapter 38

*Naomi's POV*

Deidara got up to answer the door, and I just slumped on the couch. I felt horrible now.

A gasp from the door had me turning around. My eyes widened. What the -

"Samantha?" I asked incredulously. The brunette was standing in the doorway, eyes as wide as mine and her mouth flapping, though no words came out. She did make sounds, though.

"D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d..." She took a breath. "D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d..."

"Spit it out already!" I yelled, my hormones catching up to me.

"Deidara!" She squealed. I sighed. Yeah, saw that one coming.

"Won't you come in?" I suggested, standing and straightening myself. Deidara looked pointedly at me, but I looked right back. This had to be dealt with now, I guess.

Samantha weaved past Dei and ran to me, getting right up near my face and whispering in my ear. "That's just a cosplayer, right?" She asked hurriedly. I sighed.

"No, Samantha. He isn't a cosplayer. Just, sit down and let me explain, okay?" I said as calmly as possible. Despite the look on her face that suggested she had loads more to say, the tone of my voice had her obeying as she sat in an armchair. "So, you know that website you gave me?" I asked. She gaped.

"Nu-uh, do not even say what I think you're gonna say." She said.

"But I -"

"No! You said it didn't work! You said it was a dud! I don't want to hear your lies!" She yelled, pulling her legs up, her eyes glued on Deidara. Okay, that kind of ticked me off, but I ignored it.

"Well, they're not lies, so you're safe there. Just listen to me, Sam. You know I wouldn't lie about something like this." I said, sitting on the arm-rest of the chair she was in. She turned to glare at me, but remained quiet. "Look, the website did work, but I didn't want to tell you then. I was afraid you'd react like...well, this." I said, gesturing to her now. "I can prove it, if you still don't believe me." She narrowed her eyes.

"How?" She asked ignorantly. I rolled my eyes and turned to Deidara.

"Hand?" I asked; he nodded and walked over, turning his palm up for her to see. She gaped, yet again. But then she closed her mouth and looked skeptically at me.

"Transfusion. Cosplaying to the extreme." She claimed. I sighed.

"Could you get the others?" I asked, rubbing my face with my hand. Dei nodded and disappeared down the hall. I watched Samantha as we could hear doors opening and closing. Then the six came out together, and she...well, gaped.

"Holy fucking shit!" She whisper-shouted, taking a strong hold of my arm. "That's the Akatsuki!" I rolled my eyes again.

"No duh." I said sarcastically. "Do you believe me now?" I asked. She stood, watching them as she spoke.

"But how? This...this isn't possible." She said.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But here they are. They've been here for a few days." I told her. "But, Samantha, there's something else I have to tell you." I said; she looked at me. I took her wrist and led her to the kitchen, even though I knew it was still possible for them to hear. I hoped they had the decency not to listen. "I'm pregnant." I told her bluntly. She screamed aloud, causing me to wince and rub my ears.

"No fucking way!" She returned to whisper-shouting. I regained my hearing and nodded solemnly. She calmed down a little and became concerned. "With who? Jacob?" She asked. My eyes widened.

"Hell no! Bitch, that dick is long gone by now, ain't no way I'd have sex with him!" I said, raising my voice just a little too loud. I sighed and looked down. "Deidara." I said finally. When she didn't say anything, I looked up again. Her face was glued in the expression she seemed to favor today.

"So...you and him...like..." She muttered. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes! Okay? We did it!" I said, though my voice was lower this time. She bit her lip for a moment.

"And Hidan?" She asked timidly. I furrowed my brows.

"What?" I asked irritatedly. She looked away and blushed.

"Did you and Hidan do it?" She finally mumbled. I couldn't help but grin and chuckle.

"Goddess, no. I wouldn't do that to you." I said. She sighed in relief and smiled a little sheepishly. She'd been fangirling so hard on Hidan ever since he was introduced to the anime. But, I didn't want to spare her the truth, so... "But I can't say the same for Kakuzu." I got out in a hurry. Her head whipped back to mine, though she was almost vibrating with giddiness.

"Ohmygosh, are you serious?! I fucking love that shipping!" She squealed. But then she calmed herself and pouted. "Well damnit! I only shipped those two because I thought there was no way I could have him! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" She asked angrily. I lifted a brow.

"Let's back-track to what happened when I did tell you, Sam." I said sarcastically. She just chuckled and nodded.

"Right." But then she gaped again. "You're fucking pregnant! With Deidara's baby!" She exclaimed quietly. I glared at her.

"No, really? I had no idea." I said, sarcasm dripping from my mouth. She stuck her tongue out at me before getting serious again.

"What are you going to do? You have to send them back sometime..." She said sadly. I sighed.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm so fucking freaked." I said. "Phil picked up my computer the other day to check out that virus. Which, by the way, I wasn't lying about. Anyway, until he gets that fixed, there's no way to send them back." I told her. She smiled mischievously.

"While I'm upset I didn't find out about this sooner, I'm just going to have to live it up while I can." She said. I grinned back.

"Shall I introduce you to the Akatsuki?" I cleared my throat and added a muttered, "And Hidan?" She bounced with joy and followed me out of the kitchen. They were all waiting leisurely in the livingroom, but looked up when we walked in. "Guys, this is my friend, Samantha. Samantha, you know who they are." I said, gesturing with my arm dramatically. "And don't worry, she's not a danger or anything." I told them before stepping back and leaving her in the spotlight.

I caught Hidan's eye and did a little sign-language for him. I pointed at Samantha, made a heart with my hands, and then pointed at him. He looked at me incredulously for a second before looking at her. She turned away immediately, but that just made both of us grin. I cleared my throat again.

"Um, Hidan? Why don't you take Samantha to your room and, uh...explain things to her?" I suggested, an obvious hint in my voice. She whirled around and went wide-eyed at me, but I just smiled innocently as the Jashinist stood on cue.

"I'd be fucking glad to." He said with a smirk. He stepped over to where we were and I pushed Samantha down the hall before listening to Hidan when he whispered something to me. "Is she a virgin?" He asked. I had to suppress a laugh.

"No." I told him. Really, she wasn't. He just continued to grin as he walked towards her and put an arm over her shoulders. She blushed like mad as they both went down the hall and into his and Kakuzu's room. Speaking of whom...

"I don't appreciate you just handing him off like that." The stitching nin said from his seat. I smirked at him.

"He didn't seem to biased to it." I said, sitting down with Dei on the couch. "Loosen up. It's not like you'd ever admit to liking him, anyway." I said. He turned away.

"Damn right I won't." He muttered. Once that was over, Itachi spoke up.

"So you're pregnant, hmm?" He said openly. I flustered for a moment.

"You know, when someone walks out of the room to talk to someone, that usually means they don't want to be heard." I said pointedly. He shrugged.

"Then you should have went outside instead. Anyway, should we be concerned?" He asked. I swallowed.

"I don't think so." I said after a moment. Dei tightened his arm around me.

"You sure? It didn't seem like that earlier, un." He said seriously. I gave him a small smile.

"I've come to terms with the situation. I'll think of a way to get through it. I'm hoping the website will still work after this virus thing is gone." I said. His face softened.

"Good to know. You looked really shaken up for a while, un." He said.

"Yeah, well. Samantha has a way of lightening anyone's mood." I said honestly. She's gotten me out of so many depression mood swings, I couldn't even count them all. She was a good friend, to say the least.

And then there was moaning.

"Alright, well. It may be time to go out for breakfast. What do you guys think?" I asked quickly. We were up and leaving in a matter of seconds.

* * *

**I know this chapter seems rushed, but that's because I was tired at the time and just wanted to get to bed. Which I did, so now I'm all ready and awake and prepared to write :D And, for the sake of Samantha, who is based off of my real best friend, I will not be posting a lemon with her and Hidan. Sorry if that disappoints you, but I do respect my friends m(^w^)m (-happy kitty face :P)**


	39. Chapter 39

We wound up coming back a little later to find Hidan and Samantha watching TV on the couch. They looked so cute, cuddled up together and all. Kakuzu just huffed and flicked the silver-hair on his head, causing him to complain, only making Samantha giggle. I laughed at her, just because she was laughing and having a good time with her all-time crush.

We simply disregarded eariler events and just chilled for a while. Turns out, Sam came over merely to check on me because she was worried. Apparently, I've been secluded lately and she thought I was emo-ing again. See? Good friend. Good, perverted friend.

At some point, the "big news" came up in the conversation we were having.

"What are you going to do about school?" Sam asked. I sighed.

"I don't know. I suppose everyone's going to find out anyway. There's no way to hide how fat I'm going to get." I said, rubbing my only very slightly protruding stomach.

"Pregnancy doesn't count as getting fat, un." Deidara said, rubbing my shoulder affectionately. "Besides, I don't think you should hide it. It's a wonderful thing, un." I smiled up at him.

"You say that now, but wait until the little sucker's born. You'll have your hands full." I said teasingly. "But I'll have to deal with him most of the time, just keep that in mind." He raised a brow.

"Him, un?" He asked, a smile tugging at his lips. I shrugged.

"I don't want to say 'it', so I'm assuming." I said.

"Oooohhh, what are you going to name him?" Sam squealed. I gave her a half-hearted glare.

"Sam, I just found out about this. I have nine months to decide on a name. Besides, Dei and I have to pick a name together." I said, smiling warmly at him as I snuggled into his chest comfortably. Samantha looked like she wanted to say something else, but a ringing coming from inside her purse stopped her. She pulled out her cell phone and answered it.

"Hello?" She waited while someone spoke on the other line. "Uh, yeah, alright. I'll be there in a few. Bye." She hung up and looked at me apologetically. "I have to go, but I'll try to visit again soon." She said, standing up. Then she grinned and turned to plant a kiss on Hidan's lips, taking him by surprise. "And I'll be sure to see you later." She said suggestively before turning and running out of the house. I never thought I'd see Hidan blush so much.

"Looks like someone has a new girlfriend." Kisame said before occupying his big mouth with a soda.

"Shut the fuck up, fish boy. It's just a casual thing." Hidan muttered, crossing his arms and lowering his still red face.

"Changing the subject. Naomi." I looked at Itachi when he said my name. "Tobi and I were hoping we could take you out somewhere. As a sort of thank-you, if you will." He said. I was immediately suspicious.

Itachi and Tobi wanted to take me out? Come on, that had to be a little conspicuous. Still, deciding to play along for curiosity's sake, I smiled.

"That sounds great. Where to?" I asked. I felt Deidara tense just a little, but ignored it.

"It's...a surprise. I recommend you change into somewhat formal wear, though." He said, a sly look in his eyes. I kept from narrowing mine.

"Alright." I said, keeping my voice neutral. I stood and strode back to my room, wondering what they were up to as I picked out an outfit I figured was formal and changed. I now wore a long, black, strapless dress and silver heels that couldn't be seen under the bell. I fixed my hair up in a scrunched bun, applied some light gray eyeliner and a tint of blush, grabbed my purse and headed back out.

Everyone was gone now, except for Deidara, Tobi and Itachi. Now I was really kind of freaked out as to what the hell was going on. I stopped in the mouth fo the hallway.

"Alright, what's going on? I'm not good at playing dumb." I said, leaning against the wall. Dei smirked and walked over to me, taking me into his arms. By now, his touch felt so natural that I returned the hug without a second thought.

"Just play along then, will you, un? I really want this surprise to surprise you, or else it'll just be sad, un." He said, a smile heavy in his voice. Sighing and rolling my eyes, I nodded.

"Fine, but this 'surprise' better be good." I said.

"Oh, it will be, un. Just go on with Itachi and Tobi for now. They'll bring you back when it's all ready, un." He said.

"When was this all planned?" I asked, not quite satisfied with the lack of detail. He sighed heavily.

"It doesn't matter, just go, un." He said, giving me a little push on the butt past him. I scowled back at him, but he just smirked. Giving up, I turned away and met up with Itachi and Tobi at the door. The raven opened it for me and the two followed me out.


	40. Chapter 40

I was about to ask them where they were going to make me walk to until I saw a large figure in the driveway. My jaw. Hit. The. Floor.

"Where did this car come from?!" I asked incredulously, admiring the sleek shape from afar. Itachi chuckled and walked over to hold open the passenger door.

"Let's just say your friend contributed to this little set-up. Don't worry, we didn't steal it." He assured. I silently cursed Samantha. It was just like her to do something like this. And by 'this', meant spend way too much money on something completely unnecessary.

Still in awe at the completely fabulous figure of the car, I slipped inside and he closed the door for me. Tobi slid into the back middle seat and Itachi went to the driver's side. Wait a minute, reality check.

"Do you know how to drive?" I asked worriedly. He flat-out laughed at that, surprising the shit out of me. Seeing Itachi laughing was...incredible, to say the least.

"Fluently." He replied as he started the engine. It purred smoothly, and I leaned comfortably back in the seat. Itachi pulled out of the driveway and started down the road at a reasonable speed. He took the corners nicely and knew whe to stop at signs and lights and whatnot. When the hell did he learn how to drive? Jeez, he's in my world for a few days and learns how to drive while it takes me fourteen fucking years. Well, fifteen, come this fall. Hey, wait a minute! My baby was going to be born in my birth-month! Dude, that was so cool! It suddenly occurred to me that I was taking this a whole lot better now. I supposed that was for the best. A depressed parent was never a good parent.

By the time Itachi pulled into the parking lot of a fancy-looking restaurant, I was completely lost as to where we were. This was farther than I'd ever been on my own. This brought up the question: How did Itachi know about it? Which led me to the only probable answer: Samantha. Damnit, I was going to owe her big time for this...

Itachi got out and, suddenly becoming some nice gentleman, came around to open my door for me. Tobi joined us and the Uchiha offered his arm. Skeptically, I took it, and the three of us walked into the restaurant together. Only when we'd gotten inside did I notice how well-dressed the two were. Tobi didn't have on his mask, and his eyes stood out brilliantly in the few, yet bright lights inside. And Itachi, even though wearing all black, seemed to glisten like a dark knight or something. Yeah, that sounded about right. My dark knight and my brilliant Tobi.

There was a small check-in area, though there didn't appear to be any reservations or anything. There were hardly any people besides us there, so we were led right in by a waiter and seated in a booth. Itachi took a seat beside me while Tobi sat across from us. This was just getting frustrating now.

"Okay, are either of you going to tell me what all this is for?" I asked, but they just smiled and shook their heads. I huffed and leaned back, waiting for the menus to be brought.

When they were, I was able to view all the food selections they had. Oh, how systematic of them. It was a Japanese restaurant. I ordered terryaki chicken, rice, and some kind of roll that promised buttery sweetness.

"So how about some small talk? Itachi, why don't you start?" I suggested, finding myself rather bored, yet intrigued at the same time. Still smirking, he did obey.

"Nice weather we're having." He stated. I couldn't stop the smile that brought to my lips.

"Quite. Whose idea was this?" I asked, getting right to the point.

"Tobi's!" The now unmasked nin said with enthusiasm. I smiled at him, thinking I could get more out of him than Itachi.

"Then thank you, Tobi. I do appreciate this very much." I said honestly, though I was mostly trying to suck up. "Would you mind telling me why?" I asked sweetly. He opened his mouth to say something, but Itachi cut him off.

"Ah-ah-ah. Remember, Tobi, it's a secret." He said. Tobi covered his mouth with both hands, nodding in agreement at me. I sighed, defeated. Well, might as well enjoy this while it lasted. It was possible I was going to replace my PMS bitching with post-birth bitching, which was just as bad, if not worse.


	41. Chapter 41

**HEEEEEEEEEY! I am so sorry for not uploading this more often! I'm an addictive writer, and I need to learn to finish one story before I start another. But, since that's not physically possible for me, I'm going to work on each in separate intervals and upload randomly. I'll try to keep this one more active, though, since a lot of people seem to like it over my others T_T Still, very sorry ;P**

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We didn't return to the house after that. They took me shopping, we went to a two-hour-long movie. It was all randomness, but no doubt simple ways to buy their time for whatever Deidara was doing. Ugh, I hated surprises like this.

However, we did eventually get back. The sun was just sinking below the horizon when Itachi pulled back into my driveway. By now my feet were hurting a little from the heels, but other than that I was fine. Just really, really annoyed that they were making me go through this.

I practically broke down the door to get into the house, but stopped in the threshold. The livingroom...it was...different.

There were no lights on, but there were candles lit in various places, and dark covers had been put on the couch and chairs. The curtains were all closed and no one was there...

Except for the outrageously handsome, blonde, missing nin sitting quite suggestively on the sofa.

I heard the door close behind me and turned to see Itachi and Tobi had left. I had a strange feeling everyone else was gone, too. I turned back to Deidara, who was just smiling at me.

"What is all this?" I asked in a near whisper. He beckoned me over, and I did so slowly, still admiring all that they'd done to the place.

"This is for you. Well, and me, but more specifically the both of us, un." He said, his soft smile imitating the look in his eye. He leaned in to kiss me gently before whispering in my ear. "I want to make this night special, un." His tone sent shivers up my spine, but the good kind of shivers. Like, 'omg this dude is so fucking hot' shivers, but triple that, times it by ten, and add a billion. All this just in his words.

He reached over to press a button on the remote and soft music started playing from the sterio. He then stood and offered his hand.

"Dance with me, un." He said simply. I took his hand and he led me to the kitchen, which had been modified to look just like a miniature ball-room. He suddenly pulled me to his chest, slipping a hand around my waist while the other clasped my own. We swayed gently to the music, our faces only inches apart. It still stumped me as to how he could make me feel like this practically every time I saw him.

"What is all this for?" I asked quietly, afraid to ruin the wonderful moment he'd created - with the help of the others, of course.

"You'll see soon enough. Just be quiet and dance for now, un." He replied with a smile, slowly turning me in a circle, which caused me to stumble a little. I blushed.

"I don't dance." I admitted sheepishly. He rolled his eyes, pulling me back to him as we continued to sway.

"Neither do I. I'm improvising, un." He said. I didn't think he was lying. The butterflies just didn't seem to want to stop fluttering in my stomach as our feet glided against each other in harmonious, assumed movements. I soon got the twirl down, and was even able to spin back up to his chest, eliciting a smile from the both of us. I hadn't smiled this much in so long - my cheeks were beginning to hurt. But I didn't mind it in the least. Smiling was good, and just proved how wonderful this moment was.

But then, gracefully ending the dance near the edge of the kitchen, he gently tugged on my hand as he guided me toward the back door, and I followed curiously. This whole night was curious, and yet I decided surprises weren't all that bad. As long as they all turned out like this, that is. Any other time, no. Just no.

Deidara led me out onto the back porch, and I gasped lightly in amazement to what they'd done to the place. Floating lanterns, tied to the ground by thin string, decorated the lawn, as well as a string of lights hooked to the small Japanese-styled bridge that crossed over the tiny pond in the back, which led to the forest beyond.

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**NOTE: I realize that the description of Naomi's backyard is way different than it was in one of the earlier chapters, so I made some changes. Let's say that to the right of the forest is a hill where you can see the city from, and everything else is more to the left of the yard. I needed the change to make it romantic ;P And keep the reviews rollin' in, I LOVE 'EM!**


	42. Chapter 42

"This is...amazing." I said in a near whisper. He chuckled, not letting go of my hand as he led me down the few stairs to the lawn.

"You haven't even seen the best part yet, un. Save that expression for later, Nini." He said as we neared the pond's bridge. I blushed at the nickname he suddenly felt compelled to use. Up until now, none of them had called me that, even though I'd offered them the usage when they first arrived here. Thinking back on it, it was a wonder how we'd grown so close in a matter of days. I mean, I was even...pregnant.

I followed Dei over the bridge, stopping briefly to admire the slightly taller view from there before he continued on to the forest. Cars and other vehicles could be heard from the other side of the property, but I tried to tune it out as a trail of lanterns lit the path to wherever he was taking me.

I began to see something large forming a few yards ahead, but it was suddenly illuminated by what I guessed were motion-seeking lanterns as we finally reached it. I gasped lightly, gaping openly as I took in the sight. It was a cabin, one I'd visited more than once after wandering into this forest a few years back. Except, back then, it had been in tattered remains of its prior state, and I'd only liked to use it as a sort of secret hideout for when I was upset. But then I found my emo-tree on the other side of the street out front, and completely forgot about this place.

And now, it was totally restored to its former glory. Rotten planks had been replaced by new ones that matched the old colour somehow, and vines that had been there long before still remained, though it now gave it the look of something from a fairytale rather than a horror story like before.

Stones made up the base of the structure, as did the cute little pathway that led to the front door, that must've been put there recently. The broken windows had been replaced, as well, and a dull light flickered from inside. I still couldn't believe my eyes, so I blinked a few times. Yup, still there.

"How...how is this even possible?" I asked in a hushed, awed voice. He chuckled lowly, leaning closer to whisper in my ear, tickling the sensitive flesh there.

"What did you think we were doing while you were away, un? Picking daisies?" He teased lightly, having to squeeze my hand gently to get me to move forward from my stunned position. My stiff feet followed him forward still, and he opened the new door for me. Blushing, I stepped through, immediately loving the new-wood smell that still lingered lightly in the room.

The cabin had three rooms - one for what I had guessed before would have been a living room, and two bedrooms. The living room we'd stepped into now held a two-seated couch, a small coffee table, one of those miniature dinosaur TVs, though it looked brand new with the Blue Ray DVR on top of it. There was even a tiny little kitchen area that, in comparison to the one in my house, looked like little Hobbits used it. There was also a short bookshelf, already stocked with books I liked. There was one that stood out, though, that was bigger than anything I would ever read. I curiously pulled it out and read the title: The Bible of Jashin. I laughed out loud.

"Yeah, Hidan couldn't resist adding his own little touch, un." Deidara said, kind of embarrassed that I had to find that here. I just smiled.

"Hey, maybe I'll read up on it someday. The religion has always fascinated me." I said, gingerly putting it back where it was.

"Really?" He asked, surprised. I nodded, still looking around in wonder.

"Yeah, it's unusual, different. In case you haven't noticed, I'm attracted to that sort of thing." I teased, and he rolled his eyes as I found my way down the hall. I opened the first door and my reaction mimicked the one from before.

There was a double twin bed, a small nightstand on either side, and a closet seemed to have been added. It was empty, though I predicted it would be filled pretty soon. The next room nearly brought tears to my eyes.

There was a cradle, a rocking chair, and one of those circulating night-lights that flashed animals in different colours on the walls and ceiling. I had to cover my mouth to hold back a sob of...happiness, I decided. I was so incredibly happy for this.


	43. Chapter 43

Deidara put his arm around my shoulders, and I gave him a full-on hug, seeming to surprise him again. He rubbed my back when I began to sob into his nice shirt.

"Hey, what is it, un? Something wrong?" He asked worriedly. I shook my head rapidly, pulling back just enough to try and wipe my eyes.

"No, Deidara, nothing at all is wrong." I assured him. He cupped my face with his hand.

"Then why are you crying, un?" He asked, still not convinced. My lips formed their own smile, and I laughed, though it sounded more like another choked sob.

"Everything is perfect. It's absolutely perfect, thank you so much!" I said, not able to hold it back any longer as I clung to him. He chuckled again and rubbed my back soothingly. "I'm crying because I'm happy, Dei. These are tears of fucking joy." I said, possibly over exaggerating a bit.

"Good to know you like it. We did this all for you, un. And _him_." He whispered, his other hand rubbing around my stomach. I laughed internally that he was using my predicted gender. But then I really started crying, and he noticed the difference. "What now?" He asked, flustered as he lowered me to my knees and crouched in front of me, trying to look into my eyes.

"You did all this - all of you. But none of you will be here to really enjoy it with me." I confessed, seeing as how I was letting all of my feelings out now anyway. He brought me to him again, sitting down and pulling me into his lap. I leaned my head on his shoulder, not seeming to be able to stop the sobs that racked my body.

"Shhh, don't think about that right now. You said yourself you were counting on being able to bring us back after we have to leave, un." He said.

"But what if I can't? What if it was a one-time thing and the website doesn't work anymore? And, what if-" I cut myself off as the horrible thought burst into my mind. All of my sobbing stopped as it clustered inside of me, waiting to explode again.

"What if what, un?" He asked gently. I gulped, not wanting to have to say it. But, for his comfort of knowing, I had to.

"What if...once you get back...you..." I could barely bring myself to finish. "What if something happens to you?" I finally forced out. My mind was reeling as I remembered that they all actually belonged to my beloved anime. The Akatsuki were the "bad guys". They were after the Jinchuuriki, and that included Naruto. What if...and I knew this would happen, which only made it worse. But what if he...killed them?

"That is not something to worry about right now, Naomi, un." Deidara said seriously, holding me tighter as I realized I'd started balling again. "You have to trust that we'll be okay, alright? We're S-ranked criminal Shinobi, un. There's no way we'd let ourselves be taken out so easily, un." He reassured me. I couldn't bring myself to believe him. The anime was about Naruto, and unless the Akatsuki's goals suddenly changed, the story would wind up killing them all to protect him. I wondered if I would ever run out of tears.

"Hey, is everything alright in there?" Someone called from the living room area. I recognized it as Kisame's voice, and his footsteps pounded up to us. "What happened? Why is she so upset?" He asked, sounding deeply concerned. I just buried my face deeper into Deidara's chest.

"She's not thinking clearly, un. She just needs some time. Other than that, she enjoyed the surprise, un." Dei said, and Kisame didn't push it. He did, however, stand by as Dei picked me up bridal-style, though I didn't let go of him. I couldn't - wouldn't - after those nightmares had infiltrated my mind.

"Let's get her back to the house. The others are cleaning things up." Kisame said, then paused. "Unless she wants to stay here for the night?" He asked cautiously. I pursed my lips and thought about it, though tears still streamed my face.

"Only if you stay with me, Dei. I can't...I won't..." I just stopped talking before I got ahead of myself.

"It's okay, Naomi. Kisame, tell the others we'll be in here, un." Dei said curtly, and Kisame nodded before leaving. My blonde lover carried me to the first bedroom, gently laying me down on the bed, immediately sliding in next to me before pulling the covers up around both of us.

Kisame must've turned the small lamp off in the living room, because it just got considerably darker. But the muffled moonlight filtering in through the tree leaves outside and the window brought a little light, just enough so that I could clearly make out his handsome features. I found myself tucking a few loose strands behind his ear, one of my long-since forgotten OCDs acting up. I calmed down in his embrace, though it was something about cuddling next to him in a bed that really soothed me.

He laid soft kisses on my head and kept me in his tight embrace, murmuring sweet things in my ear, sometimes making me giggle at his randomness. I soon felt myself drifting off to sleep, but forced myself to stay awake. I didn't want to go to sleep, the thought that he'd somehow disappear if I closed my eyes for even a second. My new revelation of him going back to his world and possibly dying had jarred me to my bones.

The love I felt for him went beyond anything I'd ever felt before. Past whatever I'd thought I'd felt for Jacob. But I tried to clear my minds of thoughts of him and merely concentrated on being with Deidara, so close and warm. My arms tightened around him, still shaking. I was so scared beyond belief at the thought of losing him. Finally, when something had really rooted itself into my life, forming an unbreakable bond that happened once in a lifetime, if that. Now I remembered why I was so worried about getting too close to any of them before. Now I find myself wondering if I could just keep them all here forever.

Because, even though Deidara was my lover, I loved the rest of them like family, too. Kakuzu, with his stingy love for money. Hidan, with his foul-tempered mouth. Kisame, with his cool, laid back attitude. Itachi and his calming presence. And where would anyone be without Tobi's high spirits and complete, utter silliness? Probably somewhere where headaches didn't exist, but still.

I didn't want to part with any of them, and wasn't even sure if I could. How does one who'd fallen so deeply in love with...(sigh, back to this again) anime characters...simply let them leave your world? It was a foreign concept to me, and I didn't want to try it out.

"Are you still awake, un?" Deidara asked, his chest rumbling though his voice was soft. I nodded slowly, feeling the effects of fatigue wear me down. "Go to sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up, un." He promised. I stubbornly didn't believe him, and he chuckled.

"How about this: if I'm not in this bed when you wake up, you can have full beating rights on Hidan for the remainder of our time here?" He suggested, and I couldn't help flat-out laughing, but then I went solemn again.

"You know I'd be too devastated to bag on Hidan, anyway." I teased seriously. He sighed, pulling back to look at me again.

"Naomi, I'm not going anywhere until I have to. I will always be here, with you, no matter what, un." He said, his voice not inviting of further argument. Just then, a huge yawn escaped my mouth, and he chuckled some more. "Go to sleep. I swear to..." He sighed. "Jashin, that I'll stay with you the whole time, un." I smiled at that, and snuggled into his chest more. Sleep did sound pretty darn good right about now. And this bed, wherever they'd gotten it, was so comfortable. And with his arms around me and his steady breathing as a soothing lull, I finally let myself drift off into unconsciousness.


	44. Chapter 44

_ I ran as fast as I could, willing my feet to go faster still as I chased after them. Some huge, swirling black vortex was sucking them away, further and further from me as they disappeared one at a time. I reached for his hand, though I seemed to remain still despite my sprinting._

_ Deidara reached back, stretching to his limits, but we just couldn't grab each other's hands. He was just out of reach, and was suddenly yanked backward and into the portal, yelling in defiance as I screamed my heart out._

_ Then, a sudden small body appeared in my arms, and I looked down to see a baby. He looked incredibly similar to Deidara - blonde tufts of hair and those cerulean blue eyes, though he had my nose and lips. He reached up, his tiny little hand aiming to caress my face._

_ For a moment, I stopped running, hypnotized by this tiny creature's presence. His soft palm found my face, and I smiled slightly. I glanced down at it, feeling something odd, and saw that it had a tiny little mouth on his hand. I checked the other, and saw the same was there, too. This made me smile broadly. My own little Deidara Junior._

_ But then, a booming, incredibly familiar laughter filled the dark area, and I looked up in horror. My eyes widened as the vortex had been replaced by a maximized face of none other than Orochimaru. What in the hell was he doing here?!_

_ "Come here, little girl. Let me have the child, and I'll give you back your precious friends." He tempted in his raspy voice. My body shook in terror as the futile shouts of the Akatsuki sounded faintly, and he laughed some more._

_ I was torn. How could I give up this beautiful child for my loved ones? It was such an unfair deal, and I was at a loss as how to accept. Suddenly, Deidara's voice stood out above all the others._

_ "Naomi! Don't you love me, un?! Help us!" He yelled frantically, almost angry at my hesitance. What? He wanted me to trade our child for his life? How could he ask for such a thing without a second thought?_

_ "Deidara...I can't..." I reluctantly took a step back._

_ "I thought you loved me like no one else, but now you're giving me up for that scrawny little thing, un?!" His voice ranted, and then he appeared below Orochimaru, outrage clear on his face. Did he just say..._

_ "Thing? This is our baby, Deidara! What is wrong with you?!" I yelled, tears already streaming down my face. He laughed haughtily._

_ "Oh, spare me to waterworks. Your act of love is useless, un." He said, arms crossed. "You're letting me, your lover, partner, future husband, go for that unborn fetus, un? How low can you go, un?" He asked. He might as well have shoved a spear through my heart._

_ The baby's crying in my arms brought my attention momentarily back to him. The look of pity on his face nearly tore me to shreds, and I glared back at Deidara._

_ "No! This isn't you! You would never be so hateful to our child!" I yelled back in defiance._

_ "Oh, but how do you know, girl?" Orochimaru asked as Deidara's figure suddenly rippled away. "How can you be sure he even wants the child?" He questioned. I opened my mouth to throw a retort his way, but froze._

_ How was I so sure? What if Deidara really didn't want a baby, and was planning on leaving me and never coming back? I shook my head to clear those impossible thoughts from my mind._

_ "Shut up! Shut up, you fucking snake! I'll never believe a word you say!" I yelled up at him, and he glowered down at me, suddenly moving forward so he was in my face._

_ "You say that now, but you'll soon see. There is no escape from the likes of me." He hissed, his voice fading as his image did. And then I was left alone in the dark, still holding the baby. I looked down at him again, only to see that he'd fallen asleep._

_ But as I watched, his features began to change. His hair turned pitch black, and his skin paled to near snow white. Purple marks formed around his eyes, coming to a point on his nose. His eyes opened to reveal serpentine-like orbs. I screamed, so disgusted and scared that I threw him away._

_ A soul-shattering cry echoed in my mind, belonging to the child's as he went up in flames. I screamed again, falling to my knees. I'd lost it all: Deidara, the Akatsuki, the baby. They were all gone, and I'd driven them away. I began to feel my own body heat up, and glanced back to see my feet were on fire._

_ But the flames quickly spread, not giving me any time to panic as they engulfed me entirely. So lastly...I'd lost myself..._

I woke up with a pure cry of terror, scaring the hell out of the person lying next to me. I looked to see it was Deidara. Ohmygoddess, ohmygoddess...It was just a dream, a nightmare. A horrible, horrible nightmare. I clung to the still hazy Deidara for all I was worth.

"Whoa! What...what's the matter? What happened that scared you so badly, un?" He asked, waking up a little more as he noted my distress. My crusted eyes were already watering with more tears, if that was even possible.

"I had this nightmare...and you disappeared...and then our baby...and Orochimaru..." He stopped me there as I panted to catch my breath between sobs.

"Whoa, wait a second. Orochimaru, un? Why would you be dreaming about him, un?" He asked, slightly worried. I smacked his chest lightly.

"I wasn't dreaming, it was a nightmare!" I corrected him, my voice a little harsher than I meant it to be. I calmed down and tried again. "Anyway, he showed up and tried to take our baby, after swallowing you guys in a vortex or something. And then you..." I trailed off, remembering the horrible things he had said. Of course, it was fake, entirely fake, but it still made me shudder. "And then you yelled at me for choosing the baby over you, and then...there were flames." I concluded, kind of foggy on what happened after Orochimaru's face left. I was taken by surprise when Dei held me tightly in his arms, nearly cutting off my air.

"I am so sorry, you know I would never, ever say anything like that, un." He said, his voice nearly pleading. I blinked, just then realizing why that would rattle him up pretty good, too. "And any nightmare about Orochimaru is bad, un. I'm so sorry you had to go through that, un."

I hugged him back, still trying to remember all that had happened. The more I thought about it, the more nothing seemed to make sense. Little important snippets kept fleeting from my memory, messing up the entire vision. All I remembered is what I'd told Dei. Huh. Odd.


	45. Chapter 45

After I officially deemed myself calm enough to leave, we returned to my house and I worked on making breakfast for everyone, against their protests. Hey, they couldn't deny that my cooking was probably better than anyone else's here, so they couldn't protest for long. Still, the smell had my mouth watering before it was even ready to serve.

When it was ready, I set everyone's plates and we gathered around the table as usual. I was all ready for the tantalizing taste of pancakes, but immediately coughed and sputtered on the first bite. Dei patted my bag until I was breathing properly.

"What was that about, un? Something wrong with the food?" He asked, taking a bite himself. "Seems fine to me, un." He said, but kept his worried gaze on me. I tested another time, and found it tasted just as foul. I took a long drink to wash away the new taste before I spoke.

"That's odd. I usually love pancakes. Especially my pancakes." I said, pouting at the circular pastry on my fork. I decided to go for the eggs, just out of curiosity. They had never been a favourite of mine, but now I found that they tasted like heaven. I used those as replacement and we left it lie for now. It was probably just some hormone thing with the pregnancy.

After breakfast, there was a knock on the door, and I was utterly shocked to see Phil standing there, computer case in hand and a warm smile on his face. That smile faltered a little once he caught sight of the six men in my living room, but he carefully ignored them.

"Good news, Naomi. The virus has been taken care of and everything is back to normal. We even updated your software, so your internet should run faster, no extra charge." He said kindly. I was half ready to smile and half ready to burst into tears. Again, sigh. I settled for a smile that felt odd on my face.

"Uh, thanks, Phil. Really, thank you." I said as I took the case. "I'll be right back with the money." I told him, turning and heading for my room, immediately loosing the tension in my face muscles as soon as I was out of sight.

Why does shit like this keep happening to me? Just when things were actually starting to look up, and I find out they have to be sent back. Not that I didn't already know that was bound to happen anyway, but I wasn't expecting it to be so soon. And right after I'd balled over it just last night. Sigh, my eyes were still a little puffy from that.

Still, I gathered the required money from my purse and paid him for his efforts, since he was just doing his job. Honestly, it was a wonder how I'd been able to live without a computer for so long. Given, I have been a little distracted with these pricks, but still.

"Thank you. Again." I said, and he nodded in a friendly manner.

"If you have any troubles, just give us a call." He said, returning to his car to leave. I closed the door, sinking heavily to the ground against it as a deep sigh escaped my lips. The room was ominously silent, and I closed my eyes, not really wanting to look at them.

"I suppose...this is it, then." Itachi said, making me crack open an eye as he remained firmly planted in his seat. His voice didn't reflect that of someone who was happy to return to their world. Little did we all notice the air being disturbed around me.

"So that's really it? We just fucking leave?" Hidan asked incredulously. "I honestly don't fucking see why we have to just yet. We've got all damn day to spare, the way I see it." He proposed. Everyone seemed to think about that for a moment as my breathing increased, forcing me to take notice of it, but only slightly. I figured it was just anxiety.

"Hidan, the sooner we return, the better. Leader will already be flipping shit that we were gone so long." Kisame reasoned, though he didn't sound very convincing in the manner of going back, either.

"Exactly. We're already in enough fucking trouble as it is, so what harm will it do to just stay the rest of the day?" Hidan asked, and all went silent again. I closed my eyes tighter, feeling a little hot. Was this some sort of pregnancy thing, too? My body overreacting to stress? Well, that couldn't be good.

"I have to agree with Hidan on this one. It couldn't possibly do any more than what's already done to stay just a little while longer." Kakuzu said. "That is, if it's alright with...Naomi?" His tone changed a little when I guessed he caught sight of my state. "What's wrong with her? She's..." He trailed off, and I opened my eyes again. But this time, I stood abruptly, causing a little head rush to come on.

"I need to leave. I'll...be back...later. I think." I forced out from my tight throat before dashing out the door. I found that as I sprinted across the street and into the field, it seemed I was flying over the ground instead. My speed had increased a good amount, and I had a faint idea as to why.


	46. Chapter 46

I passed my emo-tree, and went further in, letting the stinging wind cool me off. I just kept running until I came to a different clearing. Small, but big enough for me to move around. And I did so, with flying fists. I pummeled the trees surrounding the small area, though to a rather insignificant extent. I remembered this feeling, of an extra burst of strength, and...control. I had control over it, completely. But what did I have control over?

The sense that responded seemed vaguely familiar, and I paused in my ferocious caprice to analyze it. It felt...different, but that wasn't really a good enough description for me. It was like an unknown source of power surging through my every muscle, coursing throughout my body through my veins...

But it wasn't in my veins, just _close_ to my veins. It was - and it lessened my sudden rage to think this - chakra. I let out a little hysterical laugh at this, and found myself throwing punches out of pure excitement rather than fury, which I still wasn't sure to the reason of.

I focused my punches on one tree in particular, just to get a result. And boy was I happy with it. After only a few, the twelve-inch-thick trunk teetered and fell opposite of me. I coughed and swatted at the cloud of dust that brought up, but settled for studying my fists, which were actually starting to bleed.

"Ow, ow, ow!" I exclaimed, trying to tend to each of them as the pain caught up to my excitement. I sat on the ground, nursing them each in turn as my thoughts returned to what brought this all on. Now that I had my computer back, I would have to send them back to the Naruto-verse (ugh, I was getting to hate calling it that). But...

I still didn't know how! I wasn't sure if I should be happy or sad about that. If I didn't find out soon, then I could jeopardize the entire show. But the more time I spent with them...the less I cared. I shook my head to clear those thoughts away. Of course they had to go back! I may be a total Aka-stalker (my new word, since I don't want to be a Naru-tard), but the show itself is amazing! I would hate to see it end because...what? Masashi Kishimoto suddenly found it impossible to draw the Akatsuki? Haha, that would be hilarious, but no.

I sighed, standing up. But I froze when yet another sense overwhelmed. I was completely aware of everything. The little forest creatures that scurried around on the outskirts of the clearing, the birds that flew overhead. I could sense them all there, even if I couldn't pinpoint their exact location.

I was able to locate a larger body, though, that appeared behind me. I whirled around to see a surprised Deidara.

"How did you know I was here, un? I didn't even make a sound." He said skeptically as he made his way toward me. A smile tugged at my lips.

"I think I may have gotten that control down." I said, not able to contain my grin any longer. As the information clicked in his head, he laughed happily and encased me in a hug, spinning me around, making me laugh, too.

"That's fantastic! You know what that means, right, un?" He asked, putting me down, although he didn't let go of my arms. I tilted my head to the side in question. "It means..." he leaned down to whisper in my ear, "you were meant to be a Shinobi, un." He said finally.

The force of my glomp had him stumbling back, and we both fell to the ground, laughing. A Shinobi! Me! A ninja! WHAT?! The question of why I was meant to be a ninja didn't quite register in my head in the heat of the moment. I was too busy covering every part of Dei's face with kisses, and he returned them eagerly.

When I was all out of breath, I settled for propping myself up by my elbows over-top of him, my legs straddling his waist. That was when my emotions finally found their source, and I frowned. He caught on immediately.

"Hey, don't think about that right now, un. We all agreed to at least one more day." He reassured me, tucking some loose strands of hair behind my ear. I let out a breath, deciding I'd had enough tears to last for a long time. I was just going to let it slide until tonight, then.

"Good to see you two fuckers getting along so well." We both jumped at the voice, and I actually had to look to see who it was. Oh, for crying out loud! I just needed to put a restraining order on him or something.

"Jacob, whatever the hell you want, I don't care." I said, standing and helping Deidara up. He was already glaring daggers at the boy. I had to keep my own anger in check, now that I had a different kind of power that could overwhelm the poor fool.

"Well, you should. Because what I want is your freak's face covered in his own blood." Jacob said, more people filing in behind him. I recognized them all as the "jocks" from school. For fuck's sake! How did he even convince them to come here? He had never been on good terms with the popular crowd.


	47. Chapter 47

"Looks like you were right in saying he was a freak. I'm glad you finally decided to dump the bitch." Josh, one of the jocks, said. I narrowed my eyes.

"Yo numb-nuts, I broke up with him, not the other way around." I corrected, but he just laughed.

"Oh, please. Your pathetic ass just has to find some way to hide your desperate face." Noah, another one, sad. I rolled my eyes, not too surprised that his come-back didn't make a lick of sense. But now this all was coming together. They all hated me, because I was a confessed weirdo, so it was natural that they'd take Jacob right now that I was out of the picture. Guess they just couldn't settle for that.

"What did you want again? Sorry, I couldn't hear you on account of it being complete bullshit." I said, sarcasm practically dripping from my lips. Jacob sneered.

"You're gonna regret those words, Itei. Get him." He ordered, and the flock came running. I wanted to push Deidara behind me, but then realized a lot of good that would do. Instead, he took the protective stance, even though it was him they wanted. It almost made me laugh to see his height over them, and the obvious advantage he had, though I hoped he didn't have to resort to using any jutsu. I mean, they were just kids.

It amazed me as I watched him dodge and parry punches and kicks, returning his own in a graceful manner, not being too hard, but just enough to deter them a little. But then I gasped, someone sneaking up behind me somehow and locking my hands behind my back. I glanced back to see fucking Jacob again.

"What the fuck, man?!" I yelled as I struggled, forcing myself to limit my strength. It did kind of please me to think that I was plenty stronger than him now.

"Hey, blondie! Check out your whore over here." Jacob called, completely ignoring me as Deidara's head whipped around. Jacob made revolting kissing sounds dangerously close to my face, and I growled. Deidara's face was an immediate mask of anger, trying to fend off the pack of losers as he tried to make his way to me.

"No! Don't let down your guard." I told him, and he hesitated. I closed my eyes, focusing on my newly discovered chakra. When I felt the pressure swell up within me, I concentrated on sending it to my feet first. Once I'd gathered enough there, I jumped, sending us both high into the air.

Relishing in the sound of his cry of surprise, I sent the chakra to my hands, grabbing hold of his wrists and using our momentum to send him down first. He landed hard on his back, and I managed to land on my feet, though I stumbled backwards from not being used to balancing.

"That's the way to do it, Nini! Show him what you got, un!" Deidara chanted, having sent a few of them back with bloody faces. Guess things weren't really turning out the way Jacob had thought.

"When...the fuck..." Said bastard coughed a little as he struggled to stand. "Did you get so strong?" He asked, breathing heavily as he expectantly waited for an answer.

"Honestly? About ten minutes ago." I said seriously, and he narrowed his eyes disbelievingly. I didn't push it. It's not like I wanted to explain it to him, anyway. He never did like Naruto. He just "supported" me for it. So much for that, huh? "Anyway, you gonna let your new buddies get beaten to a pulp, or are you gonna wise up and back down while you still have the chance?" I asked.

At this, the fighting stopped, though the jocks remained poised to strike on what I assumed was Jacob's command. I wanted to laugh my ass off at this - him ordering them around - but kept myself in check whilst I waited for a real answer.

"If you think, for one second, that I'll ever back down to a bitch and her freak, your wrong." He growled. Deidara let out a whine of what sounded like annoyance.

"Can I PLEASE beat the shit out of this guy, un? Just once?" He pleaded, hands together and all. I raised a brow at Jacob, but he just laughed at what he thought was arrogance. I smirked.

"I think we've played around enough. Go ahead." I said, stepping back.

"YES! Prepare to see true art, un!" Dei exclaimed, reaching into a pouch that I just realized was on his side. Oh damn, he had that all along?! Well, someone took precautions. It's not like a normal person would anticipate a battle out here in the middle of the forest, and on such a nice day. Then again, we were far from normal.

"What the hell are you rattling on about?" Jacob asked furiously, Dei's hand still dug into his pouch. The others stood back warily, not quite sure of what to do.

"You've pissed me off for the last time, kid. I hope you're ready to feel a freak's wrath, un." Dei said, finally pulling his hand out for all to see. The jocks made disgusted faces as the mouth on his hand was revealed chewing the clay he'd gathered, then spit it out in a clump, which he squished in his hand.

"Dude, that's sick! What are you?" Jacob said, repulsed, as Dei opened his hand to show a small model of a bug.

"Right now..." Dei poised his arm to throw. "I'm your worst nightmare, un." He said before launching. Jacob jumped when it landed on his shoulder, and he began to frantically try to swat it off, but it held tight. "True art..." Dei made a hand sign. "Is an explosion!"

Jacob squealed and hid his face from the clay bug. It poofed into smoke on his shoulder, and he screamed in what he thought was going to be immense pain. He peeked through his hands to see it was gone, and looked stunned. I burst into laughter, though I wasn't sure who was the bigger fail. Unless Deidara had meant for it to be a dud, simply to scare him, then they were both pretty big failures.

I fell onto my back, nearly dying from laughter as Jacob fumed, beat red in the face. I was joined by a chorus of mocking taunts from the jocks, but couldn't bring myself to defend him. Hey, I was a nice person like that, but it's not like I could just spontaneously stop laughing just to tell the others to stop laughing before I started laughing again.

"Shut. Up! That was NOT funny!" Jacob yelled, but he was drowned out by our convulsions.

"Are you kidding? That was fucking hilarious!" I said, my words being chopped as they were interrupted with my amused noises. "You screamed like a fucking girl!" I added, just for good measure.

"Well, someone's starting to sound like me. Again." I shot bolt-upright at yet another voice, though this one was familiar and made me smile wider. More joined the Jashinist that had arrived.

"We were going to run in and stop shit for brains over here, but decided against it, seeing as how the kid deserved to pay for his insulting language." Kisame said, jerking his thumb to Deidara when he mentioned "shit for brains". I just shook my head, standing.

"Yeah, and boy did he pay. I am going to hold this over him for a while." I said, tauntingly sticking my tongue out at my ex, who pursed his lips and turned away, arms crossed. Then, I noticed the jocks had stopped laughing, and were now gaping at the new arrivals. "Well, this has been fun. I enjoyed watching you guys get wrecked." I said, pointing to the younger group. "I had a hell of a time tossing you around like a rag-doll." I told Jacob, then I started chuckling again. "As well as get humiliated in front of what will soon be the entire school." I added, and he seethed silently, though he didn't dare make a move. "And I especially liked your method of beating the shit out of him, Dei." I concluded, turning to my boyfriend.

"This prick needs the shit beaten out of his brains." Hidan said, walking over and slinging an arm over the blonde. "I honestly hope you weren't really trying to kill his ass. What was that supposed to be, anyway? C4?" He inquired, and Deidara laughed.

"Well, it was in the form of C1, but I decided to disarm it at the last second, un. Don't worry, he's not going to spontaneously combust out of nowhere, un." He assured everyone, though we just laughed at Jacob's horror-stricken face. But then he recovered quickly and looked at us skeptically.

"Okay, I get it. This was all just a huge prank. You're all just a bunch of pussies." He claimed, arms crossed again. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever gets you to sleep at night." I told him, walking over to shoo Hidan's arm away to replace it with my own around his waist. He lightly kissed the top of my head, and I noticed the jocks look away, faces tinting red.

"Anyway, if you're all done here, we really should be getting back." Kakuzu said suddenly, causing us to look at him. He wasn't wearing his mask or hood, so his odd features were presented openly to the once again gaping mouths.

"Dude, what happened to your face?!" A different one, Trevon, asked incredulously. I glared, walked over to him, and punched him square in the jaw, sending him flying.

"I'm guessing you learned to control your-oof!" Hidan groaned as another fist - Itachi's, surprisingly enough - caught him in the gut. "Point taken. I won't talk anymore." He said hoarsely, his voice a little struggled as he clutched his stomach and fell to his knees unwillingly. Itachi brushed it off.


	48. Chapter 48

**I am back! Sorry I haven't uploaded in, like, forever, but cut me some slack. I'm a writing addict, I can't focus on just one story. Still, loving this one at the moment, so I'll hopefully be updating again in the next day or so, maybe even again today! Oh, excitement. Anyway, read, my little Aka-stalkers ;P**

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We left the jocks standing there with a stupefied Jacob, returning to the house. Kakuzu's tense frame made me look questioningly at him.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked wearily, wondering what had him all stressed out.

"You and Deidara need to come see this." He said, gesturing for us to follow as he made his way back to my room. I looked at Deidara hesitantly, but he just put a soft hand on my back to guide me to follow the stitching nin. I didn't question as the blonde locked the door behind us.

"What is it, un?" Deidara asked, seemingly just as tense now. Kakuzu sat in front of my desk, the computer open and on a webpage.

"I was doing some researching on pregnancy. It occurred to me that the symptoms may have been showing up rather quickly." He said, motioning for me to come look. I did, leaning over his shoulder to read aloud the article.

"Pregnancy is normally caused by undergoing sexual intercourse with a male partner. The sperm the male ejaculates into the female meets up with the egg, which then -" Kakuzu cut me off.

"You can skip down to the next paragraph." He said, pinching the bridge of his nose. I chuckled a little at his obvious discomfort, but moved on.

"Signs of pregnancy may include, but are not limited to: nausea, frequent urination during the night, vomiting, excessive fatigue, and cravings for certain foods that are not normally sought out. These signs usually occur during the first few weeks after conception, though the earliest recorded is one full week.

"However, first pregnancies usually don't start to show signs until after the fifteenth-to-twentieth week following the conception. This is the average time it takes for the fetus to actually begin to develop, when it forms in the embryonic sac. Therefore, it is common for hardening in the stomach to be delayed during first pregnancies." I trailed off there, furrowing my brows at the screen.

"You've never been pregnant before, have you?" Kakuzu asked, and I glared at him.

"Of course not, dipshit! Why else would I have reacted like I did when I found out?!" I yelled at him. He put a hand up in surrender, as well as to calm me down.

"Just making sure. Anyway, as you read, the signs of pregnancy are appearing too early. It's not natural." He said, standing from the chair.

"Watch your choice of words, Kakuzu, un." Deidara growled, snaking his arm around my waist. The taller sighed.

"Sorry, but that's the truth. It's just not natural to be this far ahead when it's only been a couple days at most." He said. "Normally, I would suggest you contact a medic and get an official diagnosis, but seeing as how this could lead to us being recognized, I have to detest against it.

"Not only will we be putting ourselves in danger, but the child, as well. If one were to believe that we truly are 'characters' from a show, there would no doubt be all sorts of tests and experiments put on us. Given the fact that you are now carrying the unborn child of an anime character, you would also be putting the fetus at risk of revealing us to anyone.

"Therefore, the only solution is to try and figure this out ourselves." He concluded thoughtfully. I glared at him blankly.

"Thanks for telling us how we've not gotten anywhere." I said flatly, making him roll his eyes.

"Regardless. I'm not sure if it is wise to mention this to the others just yet. It could complicate things if they became worried over something that might very well just be a minor abnormality." He said.

"So you're saying this is nothing to worry about, un?" Deidara asked angrily. I smacked his chest lightly.

"Hush, of course it isn't. So what if I'm a little ahead of schedule? It's not like the world is going to end or something." I said. There was a moment of silence, and I rolled my eyes. "Oh, come on! Quit being so dramatic." I muttered. "Anyway, why does this matter at all?" I asked, kind of bored now.

"There was another article I read about a myth of some sort of hastened pregnancy that fulfilled its stages too quickly, causing the bearer's body to overload and collapse, also killing the fetus." He said, making me gulp.

"Okay, that's a myth, it doesn't prove anything." I said, wiping away the small bead of sweat on my forehead. Was it just me or was it hot in here? "Moving on?" I persisted.

"If such the case is occurring here, your body may very well be subjected to the same stress as that of the one in the myth. You can see why we wouldn't want to take the chance." Kakuzu said seriously. I sighed.

"Well, there really isn't anything you can do about it, is there? I mean, as far as I know from what you've told me, my baby's developing a little quickly. And, based on a myth, there's a possibility I might die in the process." I said sarcastically. "Myths aren't real, Kakuzu. That's why they're called myths." I said. I was breathing a little heavily now from the heat. I mean, was the heater on or something? "Does anyone else feel warm?" I asked, wiping my face again, only to feel more cold sweat.

"No, why? Are you hot?" Deidara asked worriedly, leading me over to my bed.

"Fuck yes! It's burning up in here! Can you guys really not feel that?" I asked as he removed the blankets from the bed while making me lie down.

"No, it feels perfectly fine. But see? This just proves my point further. You're showing signs that aren't supposed to appear this early." Kakuzu said stubbornly.

"Will you just shut up and go get some ice? Her skin's burning up, un." Deidara said, feeling my forehead. The air felt so stifling hot that it was kind of hard to breath. I felt like my lungs were clogging up with heat or something.

Kakuzu left and returned quickly with a bag of ice, quickly followed by the others as they filed in. He gently put the bag on my forehead, and I sighed in relief at the cool temperature.

"What's going on here?" Itachi asked, watching me with concern. Deidara looked at Kakuzu, who sighed and nodded.  
"Best just to tell them, since they're already worried." He said tiredly.

"Right. We think Naomi's pregnancy is progressing a little too quickly, un. According to a story Kakuzu read -" I cut him off.

"Myth." I corrected him. He rolled his eyes.

"According to a _myth_ Kakuzu read, there's a chance her body won't be able to take the stress put on it from the forced conception, un." He said.

"Meaning?" Kisame pressed, although I figured he already knew the answer. I felt water dripping down the side of my face, but it was cold, so I didn't mind.

"Meaning...there's a chance she could die." Deidara clarified solemnly.

"Not a big one." I said hastily, trying to lighten the mood. It didn't seem to work. "Come on, guys, it's just a baby. This isn't some Twilight shit, okay? Everything's going to be -" Kakuzu cut me off.

"Twilight?" He questioned, looking eager to find out more on the issue. I groaned aloud.

"I regret mentioning it." I muttered to myself, though he waited expectantly, so I sighed. "It's this movie/book series about vampires. Load of crap, I tell ya." I said, not really wanting to go into much detail.

"What does it have to do with this issue?" Itachi asked. I just wanted to go sleeeeeep!

"Fine. In the last book and movie, the main character, Bella, gets pregnant when it should have been impossible. The fetus's development progresses incredibly quickly. Like, a couple weeks, quickly." I said, making their brows shoot up. "Anyway, the fetus, being half vampire, fed off of her blood unintentionally, making her grow weak and sick and stuff. They fed her blood while she was still human, had an emergency C-section, and they had a new human-vampire hybrid." I concluded annoyedly.

"So you're saying your symptoms relate somewhat to this Bella character's?" Kakuzu asked; my eyes went wide.

"No! That's not what I'm saying at all! I -" He cut me off.

"Is there any way we can view and/or read this part of the book?" He asked hurriedly. I sighed, too tired to argue.

"The books are on my bookshelf, and the movies are out in the living room. The last one you need is Breaking Dawn." I said. He nodded, finding the book easily on the shelf as Itachi went out to look for the movie. "Good luck with that. I'll be surprised if you can stand to read it all the way through." I said, though he didn't pay attention to the comment. He just sat against the wall, beginning to read already. I heard the movie begin out in the living room, and the others went to join Itachi. Deidara stayed with me, though he changed the ice bag frequently.

It only took an hour for Kakuzu to finish the book, though the movie was a bit longer. I didn't think the rest past the point of Renesmee being born was of any importance, though, so they should have gathered all they needed to know.

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**Reviews? You give them to mwa? It would be very nice ;P**


	49. Chapter 49

**Really, really, really getting into this story, guys! Sorry that it took the turn of evil and leans a little toward...*sigh...Twilight (hate it, hate it, hate it...)... but the idea for the baby is really drawing some good inspiration for me, so don't question it. Happy readings, my little Aka-stalkers! ;P**

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They all accumulated in my room again, and I was continuously grateful for the ice bag atop my head. The body heat gathering in the room would have surely sent me over the edge.

"What did you find out, un?" Deidara asked, still kneeling by my bed, on of his hands lightly grasping my own.

"Nothing that would be of much use, unfortunately." Itachi said. "Since this isn't the case of a vampire hybrid, none of that information helps us in any way." I scoffed.

"You had to waste a whole hour to figure that out?" I asked sarcastically, though they ignored me.

"That's not necessarily true." Kakuzu said, drawing all attention to him. "At the rate in which the child in the book was growing, it was, of course, taxing the bearer's body in an unstable manner. The matter was resolved by feeding Bella something that the child liked. Perhaps, if we gave Naomi something from our world, it would stimulate the fetus into relying on that rather than her strength reserves." He reasoned. I blinked.

"Holy crap, that's actually a good idea." I said, nodding in admiration. "But that's not really possible, since I still don't know how to get you back to your world. Because of that, you can't really get anything from your world." I told him. There was a moment of silence in which we all thought deeply.

I was beginning to wonder just what this really was about. That article I read said something about nausea, but not a fever. Then again, it also said that the symptoms weren't limited to those listed. Still, why would I get such a high fever? Surely my temperature wasn't that of a simple pregnancy symptom. It felt more like a terrible cold.

"Is there some place that provides some sort of food from where we come from?" Itachi asked, though his voice lacked much hope. I thought for a moment, gnawing on my lip. Then I gasped lightly.

"Actually, there is! That flea market place I stopped by to get all the ingredients for that one night. It has food from all over the world, including Japan." I said happily. They looked relieved, too.

"I believe I can find it if I just follow your trail from your recent travels." Itachi said, pulling some keys from his jacket. I narrowed my eyes.

"Are you still using that car?" I asked skeptically. He tilted his head a little to the side.

"Yes, why?" He asked. I grimaced.

"Tell me exactly where you got it. I still don't believe you didn't steal it." I said, and he chuckled.

"Well, believe it." I wrinkled my nose at the familiar term, though he didn't notice it. "Samantha borrowed the car from her brother, who wasn't using it at the time. So far as we know, we're still eligible to use it, so don't worry." He assured me, though it didn't have the desired effect. Still, I figured I might as well let it go. I was in no position to interrogate an ex-ANBU Uchiha-turned-criminal in the state I was in. "Kisame will come with me, just in case we run into any trouble. The rest of you watch over Naomi here." He said before heading out, the blue shark nin following close behind.

I sighed. This was going to be boring.

"I need to change your ice again, un." Deidara said, gently taking the bag from my head. Now the area felt numb, which probably wasn't a good sign, either. Still, the fever had gone down.

"Wait, just leave it for a while. I'm feeling a little better." I told him. He pursed his lips and looked at me disbelievingly. I half-glared at him. "For one, you'd know if I was lying. And second, I wouldn't lie to you." I said honestly. He sighed and nodded, setting the bag aside for now. Instead, he crawled into the bed next to me, holding me close.

An uncomfortable throat being cleared made us look to see the others standing there awkwardly. I smirked.

"You know, by staying and watching me, I don't think Itachi meant that you had to stay in the same room as me." I said, raising a brow. They immediately began filing out, though they left the door open. I figured it was for safety purposes.

Deidara wrapped his arms around me, and I buried my face in his hair. It was always so soft and smooth, and I was glad I had the chance to feel it instead of just guess off of sight. Actually, I was glad I had the chance to feel him entirely. See him, smell him, kiss him. It was a dream come true, and I meant that literally. I couldn't imagine how many fangirls would be dying to take my place right about now, even under the circumstances.

"Are you still worried about the baby?" I asked him, making him stiffen for a moment. Then he relaxed and began rubbing my bac soothingly.

"Of course not. I never was, un. That child is going to be the most incredible thing in the world. Save one girl, un." He added quickly, gazing lovingly into my eyes as he softly stroked my face with a gentle hand. I smiled back, reaching up to intertwine my fingers with his.

"I've been thinking about names lately." I told him shyly, though this seemed to perk his interest.

"Oh really? Please, enlighten me, un." He said hopefully. I laughed a little, rethinking my choice of mentioning this to him.

"Well...I know it's kind of stupid, but after Twilight was brought up, I had an idea for a name." I said sheepishly. He kissed my forehead lightly as a silent urge to continue. I sucked my lips in for a moment, then laughed a little nervously again. "I was messing around with our names..." I trailed off, realizing just how stupid this was.

"Please, tell me. I'm dying to know now, un." He whispered eagerly, nuzzling my face and making me giggle.

"Fine, fine. I came up with two, actually. If he is, in fact, a boy, I was thinking..." I paused, hoping to Kami that he wouldn't laugh. "Nadara." I bit my lip hard and froze, my grip tightening around his shoulders when he didn't say anything.

"And the girl's?" He asked. I couldn't hear any specific emotion in his voice, but I didn't dare to look up at him.

"Deiomi." I muttered, my face burning, but not from the fever this time. I waited, and waited...and waited...and waited... "Damnit, Deidara, would you say something already? You're killin' me here!" I said anxiously, finally looking up at him. I was surprised to see the biggest grin of all time plastered wide on his face.

"Naomi, you are a piece of art I wouldn't mind keeping around all my life, un." He said, pecking me on the cheek. "They're great names, and I'd love to see them put to use." He said, brushing his lips along my jaw, making me shiver.

"You really mean it? You don't think they're stupid?" I asked cautiously, though this made him pull back and look at me sternly.

"No, that's ridiculous. Whoever doesn't see the beauty in those names must have somethin' wrong in the head, un. They're perfect." He said, kissing me gently. I allowed myself to sink into the kiss, a new kind of joy welling up inside me. I was glad he didn't hate them, and in fact liked them a lot. But I was still kind of sad that I got the idea from Twilight, of all things. I needed to read more. And by that, I mean read more books, because I already read plenty of fanfiction.

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**I don't ask for much, but when I do, I ask for reviews ;P**


	50. Chapter 50

Itachi and Kisame returned a little while later, with a variety of Japanese foods. I was actually kind of excited about this, because I'd always wanted to try a bunch of the stuff from Japan, but only got so far as ramen noodles, for obvious reasons. Still, I didn't want to stuff myself silly, and I felt awkward eating alone around them, so I made them eat with me. They didn't seem to object.

I tried almost everything, and found that I fancied a few specific items, such as: dongos, rice balls, pocky, etc. Sure enough, I felt loads better after that. But, still to everyone's surprise, my stomach had enlarged at least a couple centimeters. So perhaps this was a bit of an abnormality.

"I still don't get it, though." I said as we all sat in the living room. I sat on the couch next to Deidara, while Itachi sat to my other side as a sort of precaution, I guessed. "We still don't know _why_ the baby's growing so fast." I said, putting a gentle hand on the hard bulge.

"I have a theory, but there's no safe way to prove it." Itachi said. I gave him a slightly pleading look.

"Anything's better than being completely clueless." I said sadly, and he nodded in understanding.

"I was thinking that perhaps the fetus is somewhat incompatible with the universe in which it is being conceived." He said finally. I tried to ignore the crude terms he used to refer to my, as of yet, unborn child.

"Like he doesn't...prefer this dimension, un?" Deidara asked unsurely. Itachi shrugged.

"Like I said, it's just a theory. But due to the cause of conception, it's possible that the conflicting body types are complicating things." He said. I furrowed my brows.

"Body types?" I asked. Was he maybe talking about heritage or something? Or maybe how Deidara has those mouths on his hands?

"Well, the fact that we're originally fictional characters, not from this dimension, may mean that the baby is trying to decide which body type to take form in. This could cause abnormal growth rate, or other defections. So far, growth has been most apparent, but that doesn't mean it's the only thing that could happen." He explained.

"For a theory, that's incredibly specific." Kakuzu said thoughtfully. "But that just makes it all the more possible. It's our best shot?" He said.

"Best shot for what?" I asked worriedly.

"To make sure you don't die." Kisame said, shocking me.

"Wh-what?" I asked quietly, completely taken aback. "Why is there a chance I might die?"

"The fetus is going to need more nutrition than your body can provide if it continues to grow at this rate." The shark nin said solemnly.

"Even with the specialized provisions, it's simply too much for your body to handle." Itachi said.

"So how is knowing that going to help us?" I asked, exasperated. So far, we only knew that I could die. I didn't see how that was beneficial in any way.

"Easy. As soon as we figure out this fucking transportation thing, we'll take you back to our world." Hidan said, making my eyes widen.

"What?!" I yelled incredulously, making Deidara flinch at my sudden volume.

"Think about it, Naomi. If the baby's acting up in this dimension, it can only mean that it would develop more normally in our dimension." Itachi said, trying to calm me down. It didn't work.

"But...that would mean leaving. My friends, my home, all for nine months. Maybe more!" I yelled. "Who knows if I'd be able to get back, or if I'd even be able to live in your world!" I felt like my heart was going to pound right out of my chest. They couldn't really be considering this!

"Naomi, calm down!" My breath hitched at the commanding tone of Deidara, who put a soothing hand on my shoulder. "If you're this worked up over it, we'll find a different way, un." He said. I let out the breath I'd been holding and relaxed into the seat.

"Deidara, there is no -" The blonde cut Kakuzu off.

"There is _always_ another way, un." Deidara growled. "So, I suggest we find it before things get too out of hand." He added, putting a comforting arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. I didn't object, since I was just calming down from a near heart attack.

"Alright, fine. So what do we do then?" Kisame asked, grimacing.

"We could always test some experiments." Itachi thought aloud. Eyes shot toward him.

"What kind of experiments, un?" Deidara snapped. "Surely none to do with your Sharingan." He added, glaring harshly at the Uchiha.

"Of course not." He bit back, seeming offended. "I'm not suicidal, and I have no intention of pressuring Naomi in any way." He assured us. "I was thinking more along the lines of chakra in general." He said finally.

"You mean for the fetus?" Kakuzu asked.

"Quit calling him that!" I yelled suddenly, stunning them for a moment. "He's a baby - a soon-to-be human being - not some lifeless test subject." I ranted angrily.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Kakuzu said sincerely. I just crossed my arms, wanting to lean into Deidara. But I didn't, for whatever reason.

"Anyway, yes, I did mean for the baby." Itachi went on. We waited for a more clear explanation. "If his form is residing closer to what we are, then perhaps we should give him something more closely related to us. Chakra." He said simply.

"It's worth a shot, I suppose. A little extra chakra never hurt anybody, un." Deidara said, looking at me questioningly. I sighed, but nodded.

He took my hand, and I immediately felt his chakra flowing into me. But then I felt it leave my own chakra system, though it didn't completely drain from my body. It welled up in what felt like my stomach. I let out a relaxed right, feeling some of the tension leave my body.

Then I gasped as a strange tugging sensation came from my stomach. My own hand flew to hold the slight bulge, only to feel a little nudge. I wasn't the only one who instantly knew what was going on.

"It's not slowing down the development. It's speeding it up." Kakuzu said, noting the obvious as Deidara removed his hands in fear of doing any damage. But the damage was already done. Even now I could feel my newly found strength slowly draining away.

"Do you think he's adapted too much to this world to accept anything from ours, un?" Deidara asked worriedly.

"Not exactly. My idea is that the chakra tipped the balance." Kakuzu said. "He's going to be a ninja, but the conception rate in this world must be altering his development. Right now, if we brought Naomi back to our world, he could develop properly." He explained.

"You mean something could happen to him if he's born here?" I asked, feeling my panic rise again. At this point, this child mattered more to me than anything. I'd do anything - be anything - if it meant that he could live.

"Well, no. Technically, his development is going through all the stages, but clearly much quicker than normal. As we mentioned before, your life is at risk if this continues." The stitched nin said intently. I closed my eyes and took a breath, letting it out slowly. It seemed that today was just full of surprises.

Even if he was growing quickly, he was growing correctly. That's all that mattered to me. And, my twisted mind figured, the sooner the better. If he really continued to grow at this rate, he might be born before the end of spring break. Deidara and the others could stay to see him be born.  
"Naomi, I know what you're thinking, un." Deidara said, making me open my eyes.

"Deidara, if we keep feeding him chakra, he won't need as much from my body. I'll be perfectly safe, he'll be born with all of his body parts, and you can quit worrying yourselves silly." I told him, He opened his mouth to argue, but I put a finger on his lips. "No." I told him simply. He sighed and leaned back, crossing his arms.


	51. Chapter 51

"Let me guess, you're going to ask to use our fucking chakra next." Hidan said, rolling his eyes. I glared.

"Not yet. I have my own chakra to use for now." I said proudly. He scoffed.

"Yeah, maybe for about two damn days. And, in case you haven't noticed, once you have chakra, it fucking hurts to lose it." He retorted.

"What else am I supposed to do?!" I yelled, feeling another anger flare come on. "It's the only thing that seems to work, so deal with it!"

Hidan jumped up from his seat with an angry glare. "Pardon me, Naomi! I'm so sorry I was worried about your fucking life! How can I ever fucking make it up to you?!" He yelled right back. I stood before someone else could butt in.

"I don't need your fucking pity! I got myself into this, and I can get myself out of it!" I shouted, getting in his face. Despite the fact that he was taller than me, I felt like I could pound his face in at the moment.

"Is this some kind of problem for you now? Is it a burden to have to carry around a fucking child that's slowly eating away at your life source?" He questioned condescendingly. I bared my teeth.

"Of course not! This child means more to me than my own life! I will make sure he lives if it's the last thing I do." I growled, not a hint of sarcasm in my voice. He clenched his teeth, glaring down at me.

"And I'll make sure you live, if it's that last fucking thing _I_ do." He quietly said back, completely serious. I let my mouth fall open a little, wanting to yell something back, but...how do you retort to that? He basically just said he'd protect me with his life, which was immortal.

So why was I so angry with him?

I didn't want to be mad at him, and I didn't want him to be mad at me. But I couldn't help it - the anger wouldn't go away. So, instead of throwing punches like my chakra was begging me to, I turned and ran back to my room. I started tearing books off the bookshelf until I found the one I wanted.

Then I marched back out, passing Deidara, who was on his way to my room, and went right out the back door. From there, I launched into a sprint, practically flying across the yard and over the bridge as I made my way down the path I remembered being taken on yesterday.

I slowed down once I reached the cabin, carefully opening and closing the door as I went inside. I passed the living room, and didn't stop at the room Deidara and I were to share. I went right back to the baby's room, sighing as I sat in the rocking chair, hugging the book to my chest.

I lowered the book to my lap, gazing over the decorative red-leather cover. I brushed my thumb over the dent where I'd attempted to pierce it with a knife. I couldn't bring myself to do it then, which was good.

Until I broke up with Jacob.

I remembered when that incident occurred, what he had said to me. _"I'm starting to think that whole diary thing was a fucking lie."_ At the time, it had all been true. Everything I wrote in this diary was true.

Before we started dating this year, I was depressed that I might never get the chance to be with him again, however crazy that sounded. So I wrote my true feelings in it, and made the mistake of bringing it to school so I could write down precise conversations I had for whatever reason. Someone saw it, told Jacob, and he asked me to see it.

Being the desperate, hormonal girl I was, I let him read it. Then, when he returned it the next day, he asked me why I didn't just go ahead and ask him out. So I did and we got together and all that. He told me he was happy that he now knew how I really felt, so then he didn't have any doubts about our relationship.

So I guess breaking up with him threw him for a loop. But it hadn't been a good relationship to begin with, and I was surprised he hadn't seen it coming.

Still, now I only wrote in it when I was mad, which is why I'd taken it here with me. But I didn't want to write in it. I flipped to the back, where I kept all the drawings I felt were worth saving.

I sucked at drawing people, so, naturally, I settled for anime characters. Each and every one of them was of the Akatsuki. After figuring out how to draw their features, it was relatively easy to piece them together, and even I was impressed with the results.

I found one of Deidara's pictures, and simply looked at it for a moment. It had been a while since I'd drawn anything, since I usually only did when I felt a strong emotion. Whatever it was that kept making me have these mood swings was doing a good job at keeping me angry at pretty much everything so I flipped to a clean page and found a pencil before I started ripping things.

I didn't know what I wanted to draw at first, so I just let my mind move my hand across the paper, starting with a jumble of unconnected lines that didn't make any sense. But as I continued to draw, I found a picture in the midst, and started working towards whatever it was supposed to be.

It took a while of shading and blending, which I normally didn't do because I sucked at that, too, but I finished after about half an hour. I massaged my cramping hand as I looked over the picture, but froze at what I saw.

What the hell had I just drawn? I wanted to rip it up and throw it in a fire, but I couldn't look away. Why would I even draw that? I'd never drawn that face in my life, and the other was, as of yet, unknown to me.

It was of Orochimaru's face, flashing his creepy, snake-like grin. Next to him was an unfamiliar-yet-familiar, child-like face. The face looked up at Orochimaru, a small, dimpled smile tainting its features. The long-ish lashes insinuated it was a girl, which was what threw me off. I remembered the face from somewhere, but it had been a boy then, I was sure. Where had I seen this child before?

I gasped lightly when I finally remembered. It was from that horrid nightmare I had about losing everyone. Orochimaru had taken them from me, as well as my baby. Why was he, or she, looking up at him with such joy?

More importantly, why had I drawn her/him looking like that?

Suddenly, the paper was across the room in a wrinkled ball. It rolled to the corner, seeming to glare at me like a severed eyeball. Whatever had compelled me to draw such a creepy scene was, hopefully, gone now. I didn't feel the anger so much anymore, so I must've gotten it out of my system.

A small nudge from my stomach caused me to bring my hand to that spot from surprise, but I calmed down when I remembered what seemed impossible to forget. The little guy was just making his presence known. I sighed as I rubbed my stomach, swearing that it felt a little bigger than before.

"Everything's going to be okay, hun. Don't you worry about a thing." I whispered softly, as if he could hear me. To my surprise, he gave another soft nudge in response, though I just smiled and shook my head. Just a coincidence.


	52. Chapter 52

I sat in the chair for a while, slowly rocking and rubbing my stomach, calming the both of us down in doing so. But then I forced myself to stand. The others might be getting worried, and I felt kind of bad blowing up at Hidan like that and just storming out. I had to apologize.

Before I left, though, I reluctantly picked up the wadded paper, grimacing down at it before walking out into the living room. I was surprised to find a little alcove to the side of the entertainment center, partially hidden behind it, which was why I must've missed it before. There was a three-by-four fireplace, with a cozy little love seat in front of it. Without much thought, I tossed the paper into the fireplace, planning on burning it whenever I had a use for the fire.

With that off my mind, I walked out, having to hold my hair down from the sudden gust that hit me, which was cold due to it being nighttime. Ignoring that, I took my time returning to my original house, thinking about how I was going to apologize.

*No one's POV*

The small gust that had blown in through the door was all that was needed to lift the light paper from its loose spot on top of a small log of wood. Along with some dust, it was blown up the short-ish chimney, being picked up by the wind once it was outside.

From there, it was guided by the trees' leaves until it found its way to the highway, where cars were continuously speeding by. Landing on the road, it was picked up by the draft of a speeding truck, floating down the road and further into town. A man with a leaf-blower caught it, sending it speeding into a small group of people waiting to cross the street.

It managed to stick itself into the purse of a woman, which was occupied by her tiny Persian cat. The small feline smacked the paper away, causing it to flitter over to the next person, getting hooked on the chains of the gangster's pants as the people were finally able to cross the street.

After being knocked off from its rooting place, causing part of it to be ripped off, walking feet kicked it into an apartment building. It rolled over an air vent on the floor, the warm breeze lifting it up a little and into an elevator before it closed.

When it opened on the third floor, more feet moved it forward, a particularly harsh kick causing it to lurch forward and bounce off the railing of the nearby stairs. It then rolled backwards into a room, the door of which was just closed by a man in his early twenties.

It stopped rolling near a desk with a computer on top of it. The man set his bags down and took his coat off, walking into the small kitchen to get a beer before returning to the main living area. There, he spotted the paper, curiously walking over to pick it up. He unfolded the crumpled sheet, gazing over the intricate picture. The child's face had been excluded from the drawing during its journey.

"Wow, this is a really good drawing. Reminds me of my Naruto days." The man said, a fond smile forming on his face. "Huh. I wonder..." He trailed off in thought, sitting at the desk and starting up his computer. Once online, he typed in an address, which led him to a page with ten empty slots. "Wonder if Mitch was joking about this." He said, referring to an old friend he'd seen at work today.

The man typed in the names "Orochimaru" and "Kabuto" in two of the given spaces. Then, skeptically glancing at the paper laying open on his desk, he pressed the "transport" button, and waited.

*Naomi's POV*

The guys had taken my apology fairly well. Deidara blamed it on Hidan being an asshole, Kakuzu blamed it on stress, and Itachi blamed it on hormones. I claimed them all to be right.

So, in an attempt to ease the not-so-existant tension, Tobi suggested a board game. I didn't have many, but I figured I'd indulge Kakuzu for the time being. I picked Monopoly. Once I explained the rules, they hesitantly joined. Itachi typically sat this one out, but I just knew he'd be watching to see if it really was interesting. Deidara claimed he wasn't into board games, so he just watched, too.

It didn't take long for Kakuzu to pretty much rob everyone of their money as the Banker. "You fucking cheater! I only owed you three hundred!" Hidan accused. Kakuzu raised a brow.

"Not if you count the extra five hundred you owed for being in jail." The miser reminded him.

"Five hundred?! That was only fifty, bastard!" Hidan argued. While they engaged in a heated argument, Tobi, Kisame and I were busy stealing their houses. Legitimately stealing, of course. When they finally returned to paying attention to the game, they found that they'd nearly been completely wiped of their houses.

"What the hell is this? Where'd all my stuff go?" Kakuzu asked in confusion.

"Yeah, mine, too. What'd you guys do?" Hidan asked, jumping right to the accusations again.

"We bought your houses." I said proudly. I really didn't care for the money, which was needed to win, but more for the decor. I only needed money in real life, anyway.

"Those cost money, you know." Kakuzu said, eyeing us, probably waiting for payment. Kisame smirked.

"Fake money, but yes, we know. It's all right there." He said, patting the pile we'd stacked up beside his personal funds. He immediately counted it, and narrowed his eyes.

"They were all legitimately bought." He said skeptically. Hidan sighed harshly.

"Just fucking great. Now I lost my money and my houses." The Jashinist complained.

"Kakuzu-chan wins!" Tobi announced suddenly.

"Wait, what now?" The miser asked, lost again.

"The object of the game is to become the wealthiest player. You got all the money now." I informed him. He just then took notice of our broke asses, and visibly tried to hide his victorious smirk.

"So it seems I have. Well played." He said, stacking and straightening his new bundle of paper that consisted of absolutely no value whatsoever. Then I accidentally let out a huge yawn, making Deidara chuckle.

"Alright, time for the pregnant lady to go to bed, un." He said, standing up and coming around the coffee table to take my hand and help me up, too. I noticed the time then, and yawned again.

"Jeez, for real. It's already three in the morning." I said, rubbing my suddenly very tired eyes. Man, today seemed to have dragged on forever.

"Yeah, good idea." Kisame said before heading off with Itachi.

"Deidara Sempai! Will you sleep in Tobi's room tonight?" Tobi asked hopefully, clinging to Deidara's other arm.

"What? Why?" He asked, trying to gently pry the younger one's hands from his arm.

"Hidan talks in his sleep. He says bad things." Tobi said, turning his head to look at the Jashinist, who smiled.

"Yeah, my dreams can be pretty fucked up sometimes." He said, thoughtfully, as if remembering a few of them.

"Well, where is he going to sleep then, un?" Deidara asked, referring to the disagreement of sleeping arrangements with Hidan and Kakuzu.

"Don't worry about it. I'll sleep on the couch." Hidan said, making his way over to said furniture item.

"No, it gets cold out here." I said sternly. "You're going to catch pneumonia or something if you sleep out here." I reminded him, but he just rolled his eyes.

"Please, quit worrying so fucking much. That's my job." He said with a knowing smirk. I just looked at him, raising a brow. He let his head fall back as he groaned. "Fine, then where should I sleep?" He asked, looking back at me. I chewed my lip as I thought. Damnit. Why do I always blush when I do that?

I glanced questioningly at Deidara, who took a moment to finally catch. He gave me the "oh hell no" look. "Oh, come on, you and I both know full well that he won't try anything. Not while I'm in this state." I said, gesturing to my protruding stomach. His look didn't waver.

"I don't know if I should be flattered or offended that you think I'd try to bang your girl." Hidan said, making both of us turn incredulous eyes on him.

"Not helping." I said, shaking my head as I turned back to Dei. "Look, it's just for one night - maybe two," My glare stopped his on-coming argument, "until Tobi gets a good night's sleep. And, after recent events, I think all of us could use one of those." I told him sternly. He sighed heavily, pursing his lips as he thought.

"Fine. But ONLY for tonight. That's my limit, un." He said reluctantly. I gave him a small smile.

"Thank you. Now, go to bed." I said in a mock stern tone, which only made him chuckle as he and Tobi made off to their room. I raised a brow at Hidan. "You first, Casanova." I said, nodding down the hall. He stuck his tongue out playfully before doing as told, me following behind. In my room, I started rummaging through my closet. "You get the sleeping bag." I told him as I pulled it out. He gaped at the brown thing.

"You had this one all along and you gave me the pink one?" He asked incredulously. I smirked.

"I always keep this one in my room as a backup." I said, laying it out on the floor for him. He narrowed his eyes.

"U-huh." He said disbelievingly, though he went ahead and got settled in it. "Does Deidara have to sleep in this thing?" He asked as I climbed into bed. I pursed my lips.

"No." I said quietly, pulling the covers up. I heard him snort in the darkness.

"Right. Because married couples sleep together. I forgot." He said teasingly. I shot up into a sitting position.

"We're not married!" I shouted at him, but tried to keep quiet because everyone else was probably trying to sleep by now.

"You might as well be. I'm just waiting for when Blondie gets his fucking balls together and proposes to you." He said. Despite the crude language, he seemed serious enough. Mouth agape, I lay back down, thinking over what he said.

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**Okay, long-ass chapter right here. Hope it makes up for the little one previously after all that time of no uploads :D Reviews are always appreciated!**


	53. Chapter 53

Deidara propose to me? Why did that sound so impossible? Uh, maybe because it was? Still, why would Hidan, of all people, think something as outrageous as that?

But why is it so outrageous again? I mean, I was already pregnant with the boy's baby, he was my first kiss, and we were together. Was it really so inconceivable to think that maybe, marriage between us was possible? For some reason, I felt like things were moving too fast. Yeah.

"Hidan." I said into the darkness of the room. He made a tired "hmm" sound in response. "How are you dealing with all of this?" I asked him. The silk sleeping bag made it impossible to keep his shuffling quiet.

"What do you mean?" He asked. I pursed my lips to think for a moment.

"Well, like how do you feel about this situation. Not just being in a new dimension, but having one of your comrades with someone from this dimension. What do you think about it?" I clarified, already starting to regret asking him in the first place. I heard him sigh.

"Honestly? It's all still fucking crazy to me." He began. I listened intently. "To be truthful, I still don't believe any of this is actually happening. I mean, one second, I'm walking down a path with Kakuzu and the next I end up in some chick's room who may or may not have sent us through a fucking time/space warp. Then Blondie falls flat on his fucking face and sticks a damn baby in you. And we've done all this mooshy, romantic shit for the sake of your relationship, which might not even be safe.

"Not to mention the complete lunicracy of the kid's growth. So what if something similar happened in a fucking book? That was all vampires and werewolves and shit. To us, ninja are real, and so are regular humans. But the thought of different universes altering the development of this kid is tipping the balance too much for me." He concluded. I swallowed hard.

I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it, not really knowing what to make of that. The way he explained it made it sound exactly as he said - like none of this was even real. But it had to be; it couldn't be a dream or some freaky coma-induced vision or something. I knew for a fact that I was living this, that they were really here, and I was carrying Deidara's baby.

I tried to say something again, but was cut off by him this time. "And then there's the fact that I'm...in love with you." My mouth didn't close, and my eyes widened to their maximum. "That's what really gets me. How could I, a totally hot player who could have any girl he wanted, be in love with some human chick carrying my best friend's baby? It's just...crazy." He mumbled, sighing aloud.

I just lay there, trying desperately to form a full, coherent thought. Hidan just...and I was...and the baby is...but Deidara's...how could...

"So?" The Jashinist's question brought me out of my stupor, and I looked in his direction.

"So what?" I asked in barely a whisper, still trying to recover.

"Well, you asked me what I thought of it all. What about you?" He asked. I swallowed again, though my throat was suddenly very dry. What did I think? What did I think?

"Um...I don't know. I'm just...trying to understand all of what you just said." I muttered, furrowing my brows as I tried to concentrate. He snorted.

"Don't try. You'll hurt yourself." He said sarcastically. I didn't make an audible response. "Just tell me. What do you think?" He asked again, more thoughtfully this time.

"I think...it's...sudden, I guess." I said unsurely; he scoffed, but waited. I took a moment to finally gather my thoughts. "Honestly, I never would have thought any of this could be possible. Fantasized about it, sure. But I never really believed something so amazing could really happen to someone, let alone myself. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I wish I could squeeze as much out of it as I could. But that would be selfish, and I don't want any of you to hate me for any reason.

"The baby was, clearly, a bit of a surprise, but I'm not going to say I regret it. Once he's born, he'll always be a reminder of my impossible luck to have met you all in person, and actually have gotten close to you. What you all have done for me is...incredible, and I don't see how I can ever repay you. But..." I trailed off, deciding it was probably better not to mention what I was going to say next. Too late.

"But what?" Hidan asked curiously. I pursed my lips and didn't say anything. The bag shuffled again, and I could feel his eyes boring into me. "What is it?" He asked more insistently. I sighed. Knowing him as well as I surprisingly did, he definitely wouldn't let up anytime soon.

"Well, I've been having these weird...I don't know what to call them. First it was a dream, and then I drew him and...it's just really freaking me out." I said, my voice wavering a little on this last.

"What is?" Hidan asked softly, probably sensing my discomfort. I took a deep breath.

"Orochimaru." I said finally; his breath hitched audibly.

"What about Orochimaru?" He practically growled. I swallowed agian, feeling a lump forming in my throat. I really hated this subject.

"Well, in the dream I had, he took you all away. Then he took my baby, and then I went up in flames myself." I told him. He didn't say anything, so I went on. "And while I was out after that argument you and I had, I started drawing a picture and, for some reason, I drew him and my baby smiling up at him. It was weird." I admitted, still feeling awkward about the whole thing. He was silent for a moment.

"Do you remember what we told you about chakra?" He asked finally. I furrowed my brows, trying to recall what it was. Something about only being able to possess chakra when...argh! I can't remember anything anymore.

"No, what?" I asked, giving up.

"Only people who are meant to be Shinobi possess the ability to wield chakra." He said, verbatim of what Itachi had said, as I now recalled. That's right - that's why I was so excited when I finally learned how to wield it correctly.

"Okay, so what does that mean?" I asked, still confused.

"Well, the fact that you now possess chakra means that you're able to for a reason. What if..." He trailed off, sighing exasperatedly.

"What if what?" I asked, panicking again. I hated it when people left me to guess like that.

"Nothing, it's stupid. Impossible, even." He said as I heard him lie back down. I glared at nothing in particular.

"It won't hurt to tell me. Come on, you're freakin' me out here." I complained. He sighed again.

"Well, I was thinking that maybe, possibly..." he paused, "the reason you're meant to be a Shinobi has something to do with Orochimaru." He said finally. I froze. Like, I had to remind myself to breathe for a minute there.

"You mean, like...fighting him or something?" I asked shakily, feeling my body trembling slightly. Me? Fight Orochimaru? That was crazy!

"Look, it doesn't matter, okay? It's not like you'll ever have to confront him, anyway. As long as you don't come to our world, like we mistakenly suggested, it won't ever have to matter." He said reassuringly. I sighed in half relief. He was right - I had no way of coming face-to-face with Orochimaru as long as I stayed firmly in my own dimension.

Reassured just enough to let myself feel tired, I closed my eyes and drifted off, as I was sure Hidan was doing that very moment. I failed to take into consideration that the Akatsuki weren't the only ones who could be transported from world to world.


	54. Chapter 54

I groaned as I woke up, rolling over to plant my face in my pillow. What was today? Crap, did I have to go to work? Crap, did I have to go to work yesterday?! Crap crap crap!

I pushed myself up from my bed, keeping my tired eyes closed as I walked in the direction I knew my dresser was in. Unfortunately, I must have miss-mapped my room, because I suddenly tripped over something in the middle of the floor. I fell, landing over the thing at a very awkward angle.

I came face-to-face with Hidan, who was grinning like an idiot.

"Well, good morning to you, too." He said teasingly as I felt his hands snake up around my waist. I gasped and jumped up, as far away from him as I could. "What? Do I smell bad or something?" He asked, sniffing his armpit. Ugh, ew. I narrowed my eyes.

"This is a no-touch zone." I said, gesturing around my body. Just then, my door opened, and a certain blonde had no trouble finding me and enveloping me in his arms, topping it off with a deep kiss.

"Yeah, I can see that." Hidan mumbled from behind, making Deidara pull back to glare at him.

"Good to see you're on the floor, un." He said knowingly, not loosening his hold around my waist. I just sighed as they talked it out.

"Yeah, you have no idea how fucking comfortable it was down there." Hidan said, standing up and stretching. I realized only then that he had taken his shirt off, revealing his nice six-pack. I mentally cursed myself for even noticing things like that.

"Just go put some actual clothes on, un." Deidara said sternly, totally not obviously trying to block my view. Not that I minded in the least, but whatever.

"Calm your tits, Blondie, I'm goin'." Hidan said, daring to throw a small wink my way before leaving the room. Deidara's glare burned holes in the door as it closed.

"Never again." He said, his voice not inviting argument. I chuckled and shook my head, putting my hands on his chest and pushing back as I made my way out of my imprisonment against the wall.

"Nothing happened, seriously. Calm yourself." I said, using a less crude term than Hidan had. I moved around him and started for the door, feeling him follow me out. "Did you sleep well?" I asked, making my way toward the kitchen to check the calender again.

"Yeah, I guess. How about you, un?" He asked.

"Fine." I said back. I looked at the calender, cursing under my breath. I completely missed work yesterday, and I was going to be late today if I didn't hurry. I had the morning and evening shifts today, getting a two hour break in the afternoon. "I have to go to work." I said, suddenly ready to fall back into bed.

"You still want us to stay here, un?" Deidara asked as I walked back to him, lazily wrapping my arms around his back. I sighed deeply.

"I don't know. I feel like I'm trapping you all here." I said as a huge yawn escaped my mouth. "Actually, I know I'm trapping you all here." I corrected myself, looking up at the blonde. "You all have only been out one day. You must feel cramped." I said with a sad pout. He gave a small smile.

"Whatever works best into your schedule, Nini. We don't want to get in the way, un." He said softly, tucking some hair strands behind my ear. I leaned my head against his warm chest, thinking.

"We'll go out today on my break. Do something fun." I decided before pulling away from him. "I gotta go get ready before I'm late." I checked the clock. "Or later than I already am." I said, hurriedly bounding off to my room to change into my work clothes. I sighed when the shirt felt a little tight. Oh well for now.

Outside, as per usual, I glanced at the driveway, and stopped from momentary shock. Oh, right, the car. It was a surprise to actually see a car there, like I always impossibly expected. But it wasn't like I could drive it or anything. Pfft, tease.

"Would you like a ride, un?" Deidara asked, suddenly appearing behind me and slipping his arms around my waist, planting a soft kiss on my neck. I giggled and blushed, realizing we were outside and in plain sight.

"It's only two blocks away; I walk there nearly every day." I told him, though I relaxed into his embrace. For some reason, I was just really tired today.

"A lazy day never hurt. Besides, what else is a car good for, un?" He asked rhetorically, guiding me from behind to walk down the stairs as I heard the door close behind us. Hmm, lazy day. Boy did that sound nice right about now.

So I let him drive me to work, giving him directions like the side-seat driver I was. Technically, driving was actually a better idea. I think I shaved about three minutes offof the time it would have taken to get there by foot.

I told Deidara to go in through the front door while I went in through the back, as always. Unfortunately, Kristal was right on me as soon as I stepped foot through the door.

"What happened to ya yesterday, Nini? Yasmine had to work rush hour all by herself!" She said sternly. Oh, great. Now I felt really bad.

"I'm really sorry, Kristal. I've just been having a few troubles at home recently and totally forgot about work." I said. There wasn't a lie in what I just said, either.

"Well, is everythin' alright, hun? You know it ain't no trouble coverin' for ya if it's somethin' serious. I'd just rather know ahead'a time." She said, real concern in her soft brown eyes. I gave her a kind smile.

"That's alright. I don't really know how things are playing out yet myself, so I'll give you a call if something comes up." I told her politely. She smiled back and patted me on the shoulder.

"That'll do, Nini. Now, you go on and get to work. Yasmine's been dealin' with enough'a these pesky little suckers already." Kristal said, nodding to the front, where a group of kids were hanging out at the counter. They all seemed to be around my age, and I thought I recognized a few from school. Luckily none from the jocks, though.

"Alright. Sorry again, Kristal." I said, making my way to the front, where Deidara met me on the other end of the counter. We both glanced at the boys, who were obviously hitting on Yasmine. Pfft, if guys her age didn't stand a chance, they sure as hell didn't.

"So this is where you work, un?" Deidara asked, glancing around appreciatively. "Nice." He added as an afterthought. I chuckled as I began wiping the counters.

"Yup. Pay's well." I said, quickly finishing that before sliding over next to Yasmine, who was trying to get orders instead of compliments. "Are you all ready to order something?" I asked politely, drawing their attention away from Yaz, who threw me a thankful look.

"Naomi? I didn't know you worked here." Said one of them, whom I remembered was named Dalton. Wow, I hadn't seen him in forever. We used to have all of our classes together, but with the different schedules this year, I thought he might've transfered to a different school or something.

"Yeah, it's been a while, Strapp." I said, calling him by his last name like I used to. See, there was this other friend of mine named Dalton Price, so I just used their last names to single them out when talking to them. "How are things?" I asked, really trying to let Yasmine work on some other people's orders, who were actually here for coffee.

"Still boring, I guess. So, uh, who's that?" He asked, nodding not-so-secretly at Deidara, who was watching us closely. Oh, forgot to mention. Meet ex number two.

"Oh, that's just De-Damion." I said, quickly correcting myself. I'd gone on non-stop about the Akatsuki to Strapp when we still used to hang out. He would have recognized the name 'Deidara'. The sudden alias didn't seem to deter the older blonde at all.

"Damion, huh? What school?" Dalton asked, getting right to the point. I sighed. He had always been possessive when we were together, and the habit didn't die when he broke up with me, however that worked.

"David Crockett." I said. Then, quickly, added, "Or, will be. He just transferred from West Virginia." Dalton knew a lot of people at Crockett, and those people knew everyone else. He'd surely know of a new student before letting out for spring break. And West Virginia was just a random state I thought of. Whatever.

"Oh. How'd you guys meet?" He persisted, studying Deidara closely, and vice versa. Just then, the blonde stepped over, offering a friendly smile that expertly concealed the hatred I knew he must've already felt for this boy.

"Childhood friends, un. And you are?" He asked, offering a hand. I panicked for a moment, but then noticed that the mouth on it was tightly sealed shut, seeming only a crease on his palm like any other.

"Dalton. Ex boyfriend." Strapp replied, shaking hands with the taller blonde. He didn't seem at all put off by the height difference. Nor did Deidara by the mention of an ex. But, was it just me, or was the stench of testosterone floating in the air?

"Well, it has been great seeing you again, but shop policies states 'get a drink or get out'." I said bluntly, meaning for it to be slightly teasing to my usually good-humored friend. He turned back to me, flipping his short dirty blonde hair out of his dull blue eyes. A smile found its way onto his face.

"Right. A simple mocha latte will do." He said; I nodded and went to work on that. I wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing that there was no more conversation going on between them. I wondered if the group had left yet.


	55. Chapter 55

After making the latte, I gave it to Dalton, receiving the required money in exchange.

See ya 'round, Nini." Strapp said, sparing one last skeptical glance at Deidara before turning and leaving. The criminal 'tcht'ed as he turned back to me.

"Ex boyfriend?" He asked, raising a brow. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not the best decision-maker, okay? Cut me some slack." I said, restocking the paper coffee cups. I noticed Yasmine then, who was currently trying to plug a haywire cream machine with napkins.

I laughed and hurriedly went over to her, hitting a few buttons until the cream stopped coming out. She laughed as she assessed her soiled uniform.

"I think it's about time we got a new one, don't you?" She asked sarcastically as she washed her hands and arms off in the sink. Just then, the counter phone rang, and I went to answer it.

"Hello, Kristal's Koffe, how may I help you?" I asked in a chipper tone.

"Is Yasmine Jewls available?" Came a professional-sounding reply. I glanced back at her. Thankfully, her hands were clean now.

"Yes, here she is." I said, handing her the phone.

"Who is it?" She mouthed; I shrugged. "Hello?" She waited while the other person said something. "Yes, that's me." Pause. "In a couple hours, why?" Pause.

Then a look crossed over her face, and the complete shock and sudden devastation had my blood running cold. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she staggered backward, gripping the counter tightly with her free hand. I quickly walked over to her again, a deep worry rising within me.

She swallowed hard as tears freely streamed down her face. "Yes, I understand. Thank you for the call." She sniffled, her voice cracking at the end as she promptly put the phone back. Then she completely broke down, slumping to the floor in a sobbing mess as she held her face in her hands. I crouched beside her, putting a hand on her shaking shoulder.

"Yasmine, what's wrong? What happened?" I asked worriedly. She lifted her head to look at me with pained eyes.

"Rick's dead." She barely managed to choke out before more sobs made it impossible to say more. I froze, having to use all of my willpower not to use her shoulder for support. She was the one who needed someone right now.

I sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug, which she immediately leaned heavily into. I rubbed her back soothingly as Deidara hurried around the counter. I gave him a look, and he nodded in understanding. Now was not the time for questions.

Kristal walked out from the back just then, immediately taking note of the situation. She rushed over, putting her hand on Yasmine's other shoulder.

"What in tarnation happened here?" She asked, already looking flustered. I spared Yaz the explanation.

"She got a call." I said, then mouthed, "Rick died." Her eyes went wide as a horrified gasp escaped her mouth, which she covered with her other hand.

"Oh, dear mighty." She whispered, giving Yaz a pitiful look. "Oh my...well..." She seemed at a loss as to what to say. "Tell you what. Y'all take the rest of the day off. Yasmine, hun, let me drive you home." She said, gently coaxing the girl to stand, I along with her. Then she looked at me. "You go on and get home, too, Naomi. This needs to be dealt with." She said softly.

I nodded, still feeling hollow. Deidara and I watched the two leave first. "Now, what happened, un?" He asked, following me as I slowly made my way to the back. I let out a shaky breath.

"Yasmine's fiance, Rick, died." I said as we walked toward the car.

"I'm guessing you knew him, un?" He asked, opening the door for me. I waited until he got in on the other side to answer.

"Not as well as I would have liked to. He was a good guy, though. And much too young to die so suddenly." I said.

"I'm sorry, un." He said, making me look at him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sure it was just some freak accident." I said, looking back out the window. He didn't say anything else, so I let it drop. Unfortunately, the silence allowed my mind to wander dangerously. How did Rick die? Did someone kill him, or was it really an accident? Could it have something to do with -

My thoughts were cut off as Deidara suddenly hit the breaks as the car shook from an explosion going off outside. Once the car had screeched to a halt, I looked out the window to see what was now blocking the road. At first, I thought it might've been a collapsed building. But then it moved.

The front half of the huge figure lifted, shaking dirt and rubble from itself. It was a giant replica of a snake, the serpentine eyes looking sickeningly familiar as they locked onto us.

"Naomi." I was too paralyzed with fear to respond to Deidara. "Naomi. Move. You have to move, un!" He said frantically, leaning over and undoing my seat belt. My heart was racing, eyes wide as they remained plastered to the serpent staring right back at me. As it cocked its head back, Deidara opened the door on my side, then began pushing me out. "Go! Hurry, un!" He ordered, stumbling out after me.

There was just enough time to jump away as the huge snake's head crashed into the car, sending glass flying everywhere. I fell harshly on the ground, cutting my hands and elbows from the fallen debris. Deidara didn't waste any time, though, and took my arm as he began to pull me away. The snake was already lifting its head again, its terrifying eyes finding us easily.

"Naomi! Listen to me, un!" Deidara shouted, causing me to turn back to him with horrified eyes. He kept looking ahead, making sure we didn't run into everything as I felt the ground shake from the snake following behind. "You have to get back to the house. Warn the others, un. I'll take care of this." He said, pulling me around the side of a building to rest for a moment.

"No, are you crazy?! That thing is huge! It could swallow you in one bite!" I said, finally regaining enough sense to realize what he'd just said. He looked at me straight-forward, his one visible blue eye looking deep within my own.

"I've dealt with worse, un. You know that." He said pointedly, and I grimaced. "But right now, you're what matters. So get home, and I'll watch your back, un." He said, moving me around him and pushing me in the direction of my house. I could already see the building down the road, but the shaking ground told me that the snake was getting closer. "Run as fast as you can, un. On my my mark." He waited with his hands on my hips, probably to give me a starting boost. "Ready...GO!"

As expected, he shoved chakra into me, sending my legs flying faster than normal. I immediately heard explosions going off behind me, but I didn't dare look back. I was too busy keeping the tears out of my eyes.


	56. Chapter 56

It didn't take long to get home at this speed. Still, something must have alerted the Akatsuki inside, for they came running out to meet me.

"What's wrong?" Itachi asked immediately, holding my shoulder to support me as I panted heavily.

"There...was a snake...and Deidara, he..." I took a deep, steadying breath. "A giant snake appeared on the street and Deidara stayed behind to fight it." I said quickly before I had to take another breath.

"A giant snake, huh?" Kisame said thoughtfully. "For some reason, I get the feel that's not normal around here." He said sarcastically.

"This is no time to fool around." Itachi said sternly, narrowing his eyes. "There's only one person I know who can summon a giant snake. Let's pray to Kami it's not him." He said, quickly activating his Sharingan before moving past me, heading toward the mayhem back the way I came.

Not sure of what to do, I stayed on the front porch as the others followed him, all with a new hard set in their eyes. Was this actually happening? Was..._he_ actually here? But how? I never -

I cut my thoughts short as a realization hit me. I wasn't the only one able to access that website. Someone could have definitely used it of their own accord. On that note, I hurried inside the house, heading straight for my room. I opened my laptop and opened the website from my history.

I was surprised to find it was now set up differently. There ere now only four slots, but six others resided near the bottom of the page. There were two messages. I read the one on the top first.

"Welcome back! You now have four uses left," was all it said. I scrolled down to read the other. "You may use these slots to reverse the transportation. Good luck!" It read. I let out a sigh, though I wasn't sure it if was from relief or sadness. Relief, because I finally knew of a way to send them back. Sadness, because there was a way to send them back.

Still, I had to do this. If that had really been Orochimaru's doing back there, and he himself really was here, the Akatsuki would need some help. I was skeptical about doing this, but Deidara was front and center in my mind. I didn't care about the fact that he was a grown, S-rank criminal Shinobi and that he could definitely take care of himself. I felt useless just sitting back while the others fought in my own world.

So, taking a deep breath to calm my anxiety (though it didn't quite work), I started typing in names. I only needed two right now. Surely, with them here, together they could stand a chance against the Snake Sannin.

I typed in "Pein" and "Sasori".

I had the right of mind to step back immediately after pressing transport. Sure enough, after about ten seconds, Two forms suddenly appeared on top of each other. It had happened so fast I couldn't tell if they came through the screen or just popped up, but that wasn't important right now. I waited until they managed to stand up.

"What's going on here?" Sasori asked, glancing around as I guessed he memorized his surroundings for future notice. Pein's Rinnegan eyes were focused on me.

"Who are you?" He asked, clearly expecting an immediate answer. I sighed, realizing I'd have to explain everything again.

"My name is Naomi Itei. I summoned you here form your universe, just like I did with the others." That alone was enough. I suddenly found myself pressed against the wall of my room, a strong hand firmly grasping my neck. The pierced ginger didn't press down hard enough to joke me, but it was enough to send a jolt of terror down my spine. Sigh, what had I gotten myself into?

"What have you done with the rest of the Akatsuki?" Pein growled, clearly pissed now. It occurred to me then just how much he really cared for his comrades. Somehow, that seemed to soften his features the slightest bit, though the glare was still prominent on his face.

"They're fine." I told him, trying to hold in as much air as possible, just in case he decided I wasn't needed alive. "I think." I added as an afterthought. As expected, his grip became a little tighter, and he neared his face to mine, looking as if he'd explode at any moment.

"Tell me where they are." He said commandingly. I gulped. Or, tried to. It was getting just a tad bit hard to breathe.

"I need...air...to talk." I choked out. Immediately, he dropped me, but didn't relax his ominous stance in front of me as his glare rained down from above. I gathered air quickly, not wanting to piss off the supposed God more. "The Akatsuki have been living with me for the past six days. I've done nothing to physically harm them." The specific detail had him narrowing his eyes, but he let me continue. "But Orochimaru has appeared and now they're all out fighting him. I summoned you both here to help. Please." I said, my voice openly begging. He seemed to study me for a moment, his ringed eyes calculating.

"Show me." He demanded. I nodded thankfully, carefully slipping past him, glancing nervously at Sasori before leading them out of the room. My breathing still slightly labored, I opened the front door, hearing the roaring of battle going on just a little ways away. It seemed the snake was still raging, moving closer and closer to my house. I pointed in that direction.

"There. They all went that way." I told him. He looked off in the direction I pointed, no doubt sizing up the distance or something like that.

"You're coming, too." He said before taking my arm without confirmation and starting off, Sasori hot on his tail. I stumbled for a moment, nearly letting myself fumble in the wind of the speed he was running at, but managed to find my footing. I dashed alongside him, the use of chakra in my feet almost natural now.

It didn't take hardly any time at all to reach the destination. Sure enough, the others were already engaged in battle, though more opponents had shown up than just the snake. The huge serpent still posed a threat, but Deidara was holding it off with his clay explosives while the others had to deal with clones.

Clones of Kabuto, no less. It looked like the evil Sannin hadn't been summoned alone.

"Sasori!" Deidara called suddenly, sending a rather powerful bomb toward the snake to ward it off for a moment. "What are you doing here, un?!" He shouted over the noise.

"The better question is, why are you? What is this place?" The redhead asked as if in normal conversation, instead of interrupting a potentially fatal battle.

"No time to explain, un. Could use the help, though!" Deidara replied, leaping backwards with his hands in his pouches, probably gathering more clay to use.

"What are you wearing? Where's your cloak?" Pein asked, studying the blonde's attire. I realized that they were all wearing the clothes they'd bought that one day I took them shopping.

"Just shut up and fucking pitch in a little, will ya?!" Hidan yelled as he sliced the head off of a Kabuto clone, which went up in smoke. Sasori started making handsigns, then pressed his palm to the ground. A figure appeared in a cloud of smoke, clearing up to be his Hiruko puppet. He climbed in through the opened back, which closed over him.

Then the puppet came to life, and I remembered just how grotesque it looked. Eugh, I liked him better when he was out of that thing. But I suppose it was a useful weapon.

"Sasori, you help Deidara. I'll try and deal with this." Pein said. Sasori's puppet nodded and went off to help his partner. The ginger turned to me. "Explain to me why the Akatsuki are fighting here. They suddenly disappeared from the base six days ago, no clue or hint as to where they'd gone. And where do you fit into all of this?" He questioned. I looked at him steadily, quickly gathering my thoughts.

"I used a website on my computer to transport the Akatsuki here. I had no expectation of it working, but it did. This is a different world from yours, one without ninja or Jinchuuriki." I said, knowing to add on the last part just in case. His expression showed no reaction to what I was telling him. "Up until today, I had no way of getting them back to your world. I was planning on sending them back soon, but then Orochimaru and Kabuto showed up. So I summoned you to help them because I was worried they might not be able to handle the two alone." I said, careful to keep my voice level at the thought of any of them being taken down by that pedo-bear and his pimp.

"If this world contains no ninja, how is it that you possess chakra?" He asked calmly. Of course he'd be able to sense that. I sighed.

"Itachi told me that only people who are meant to be Shinobi possess the ability to wield chakra. Thanks to Deidara, I was able to master controlling it. I don't know any jutsu yet, though, or what my change in chakra nature is." I informed him.

"So you were previously a human?" He asked, tilting his head slightly in interest. I nodded.

"Yes. I spent fourteen years of my life as a human. But the fact that I can wield chakra means that I must have a purpose as a Shinobi. There have been signs pointing to something to do with Orochimaru." I said, half-muttering this last part to myself.

"What signs?" He persisted.

"It started with a dream about him, and then I drew a picture of him without knowing it. And then one of his snakes shows up." I said, still trying to think this through. What if what Hidan said was right? That my reason for being a ninja was to confront Orochimaru somehow?

"So why aren't you out there fighting, too?" Pein asked, yanking me out of my thoughts again.

"Because I don't know how! I've never used chakra to fight before! I'll probably wind up hurting one of you instead." I said miserably. While I could easily pound trees into oblivion, I'd never really tried to use it in battle. Besides, I didn't know any jutsu! I might as well be an Academy student.

"It's possible to discover your change in chakra nature through battle, you know." The ginger said, making me look at him questioningly. "It won't hurt to try." He said more softly. I swallowed, taking a deep breath. Jeez, if I kept that up, I'll get light-headed.

I didn't argue as Pein took my arm again, his grip more gentle this time, and slowly led me toward the fight. My heart was already racing at the sight of a Kabuto clone's glowing hand coming dangerously near Kisame's head, though the shark nin dodged and jabbed him in the gut. We got closer, and I froze as one of the clones spotted us and came running.

"Gather your chakra." Pein muttered to me quietly. I didn't move. "Naomi, do it now. I will not protect you." He said, stepping away. My limbs felt frozen in place, my blood running cold and my eyes plastered wide as I watched the on-coming threat. The clone raised a hand, which glowed green with the readying Medical Nin-jutsu. I knew I had to move. I knew Pein wasn't lying. If I didn't do this, I would die.

But I couldn't move!

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**This chapter is longer than that long-ass one I wrote to make up for my lack of the ability to keep track of time. I hope you're happy T_T**

**And reviews are always praised! Thanks, guys! ;P**


	57. Chapter 57

**I didn't want to make you all suffer until tomorrow because of the cliffhanger ;P You're welcome :D**

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"Naomi!" Was all that I heard as my vision of the charging clone was blocked by a light gray T-shirt. I blinked, staggering a step backward as I saw the blonde hair fall back into place from the sudden movement made by its owner.

Deidara stood in front of me, holding the clone's arms at bay with a slight struggle. I just gaped, my eyes still not returning to their normal size. I...I just...

I just froze! I completely froze up in the face of danger! And now I was distracting Deidara from helping Sasori fight off the snake, which was still very much alive. I couldn't even force myself to jump out of the way, let alone try and attack.

Deidara grunted as he twisted the clone around so he could deliver a powerful punch to its back, causing it to disappear. Breathing heavily, he turned back to me, though his angry eyes were on Pein.

"What the hell were you thinking, bringing her out here, un?!" He yelled at his Leader, taking a protective stance in front of me. I just watched as the ginger turned his eyes on his subordinate.

"I was giving her a chance to discover her calling. You should know better than to interfere with me, Deidara." Pein said. The blonde growled.

"You were going to let him kill her, un!" He shouted, taking a step forward to get in Pein's face. The older didn't back down or flinch.

"If she is to ever be a true Shinobi, she must learn to act like one. Chakra is a privilege, and should only be granted to those who know how to use it." He said seriously. "If her calling truly is to take on Orochimaru, she'll need to learn to take action, not just stand there like a dolt whilst an enemy charges her head-on." He added.

"Watch it, Pein! Don't go around insulting her like that, un!" Deidara yelled, balling his fists. Pein blinked once.

"Why do you care for her so much, Deidara? Of what worth is she to you?" He asked inquisitively. Deidara calmed down just a little.

"I love her." He said simply. Pein's eyes widened considerably, but only for a moment as they returned to normal nearly immediately.

"Love is nothing of worth to anyone. It simply gets in the way, as you so kindly demonstrated." Pein said. Deidara bared his teeth, seeming even more pissed off now.

"You don't know anything about love, Pein! If you did, you'd know why it pisses me off so much that you brought Naomi right out in the middle of the battle, where she could seriously get hurt, un." He said. "She hasn't learned to battle with chakra yet. She just obtained it not two days ago, un. Take her back to the house." He said, his voice a flat-out demand. Pein narrowed his eyes.

"I'll not have you ordering me around, Deidara. Remember who your superior is. I am your God and you will obey me as such." The ginger said, his voice seeming to become more powerful as he spoke, though it remained at the same level of volume. Still, Deidara cringed back, and even I winced a little.

"Fine. I'll take her, un." The blonde said lowly, looking at the ground. But then he turned swiftly on his heel and took my hand, gently leading me away. I stopped him once we rounded a building, though his eyes remained down-set. "I'm sorry you had to see that, un." He said, as though he thought that's what I stopped him for. Is hook my head slightly.

"I don't want to go back to the house, Deidara." I told him, finally making him look up in shock.

"What?" He asked incredulously. I sighed.

"He was right, Dei. I need to learn how to fight if I ever want to -" He cut me off.

"No! You don't need to learn how to fight! It's too dangerous, un." He said, his voice nearly pleading. I just looked at him for a second.

"If I don't learn, what was the point of gaining my chakra in the first place?" I asked him rhetorically. "It's for a purpose, and I'm going to fulfill that purpose." I said stubbornly. He took a deep breath, looking off to the side as he lightly nibbled on his lip.

"I can't risk losing you, un." He said after a moment, turning back to look me in the eye. "I've never felt this with anyone. You're the first person I've ever loved, and the only one I ever want to love, un." He told me quietly. Acting on instinct, I reached up and cupped the left side of his face, slowly moving aside his bangs. He didn't have his eye-scanner on.

"There have been times when I thought I was in love." I told him honestly, making his face drop. I gently pulled it back up to look at me. "But nothing compares to what I feel with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And him." I added, putting my other hand on my growing stomach. "But I'll never feel complete if I don't do what I was meant to. You have to at least let me try." I said, looking at him with a plead in my eyes.

He was silent for a long time, just looking into my eyes with a kind of regret I hated to see in him. Then he brought his hand up to tuck those stubborn strands behind my ear, brushing his fingers over my cheek before settling for cupping it, as well. For once in my life, I didn't blush.

"Alright." He said finally, instantly creating a huge grin on my face. He gave the "but wait" look, and I calmed down before I started jumping in place. "But not right at this moment. You need to train first, un." He said quickly before I could argue. At the mention of training, I nodded in understanding, and we started off. I didn't know where he was taking me, but it was away from the battle. For the moment, I trusted that he wasn't leading me away just to lock me up somewhere so I wouldn't get hurt. If I knew Deidara, and I was sure I knew him well enough by now, he was going to keep true to his word.

_*Hidan's POV*_

"Fucking hell! Hasn't anyone found the real bastard yet?" I yelled to the others, who were just as preoccupied as I was. It seemed there was a never-ending supply of clones. There was a scroll far behind their lines, which popped up a new one every time another was defeated.

"He probably left a long time ago, Hidan." Kakuzu said as he strangled one with his threads. "Chances are, this is all just a decoy while Orochimaru causes more trouble elsewhere." He added, dodging and parrying strikes made by yet another clone.

"Whatever it is..." Kisame paused, swinging Samehada down on a clone, "this is bad." He finished. He had summoned his sword a while ago, having left it at the base, which is what I did with my scythe. "Whoever was dumb enough to transport Orochimaru into this world is probably dead by now. Who knows how many more innocent lives that snake has taken?" He said, swinging his sword around some more.

"I'm still not clear on this whole thing." Pein said, pausing to use his chakra disruption blades on multiple clones. "What is the point of all this?" He asked, discarding his position to run at the snake, which Sasori and Itachi were battling. Tobi was using his Wack-a-mole Jutsu on the clones, taking them out one by one.

"To keep this world from being destroyed, of course." Kakuzu said, never looking away from his opponents.

"Why must we protect this world, though? Is our world not enough?" Pein continued to question, finally slicing off the beast's head, causing it to collapse on the ground. This allowed the others to help us with the clones. If someone could just get close enough and deactivate that scroll, we could be done here.

"This is Naomi's world. We can't just let it go to fucking ruin." I said, randomly swinging my blade around as I took out a group of clones at once.

"And what is the girl's worth to you all?" Pein asked. I caught everyone's glance, all aimed at each other, though they eventually landed on Pein, who was looking back questioningly.

"She's our friend." Kisame said finally.

"I love her." I added.

"She's done us countless kindnesses since our arrival here." Itachi put in.

"And yet she's the one who imprisoned you here in the first place?" Pein persisted. The attacks didn't show any signs of letting up.

"She didn't imprison us here." Itachi said with a glare. "She herself didn't know how to get us back. Not that we minded." He added quickly.

"Meaning?" Pein snapped, sounding a little offended. Itachi looked at him, contrite.

"Meaning we didn't mind staying for the time being." He clarified. Pein just looked at him for a moment, but was forced to focus on the fight.

"Staying with her." He said, though it wasn't a question. Silence ensued for a while. "Tell me, what is so special about her? Besides her supposed kindness." He asked.

"What else does she need?" Kisame asked rhetorically. "The fact that she knew about us - about us being criminals, murderers, and heartless - and still showed us kindness was a miracle in itself. Even Deidara was lost in her from the moment we got there." He said, smirking a little. I just grimaced.

"They're only together because he got to her before me. If I hadn't been such a...a pussy, I totally could have had her." I said stubbornly, slashing away at the clones like a knife through butter.

"I'll agree that you are a lot of things, Hidan, but a pussy is not one of them." Kakuzu said, surprising me. He kept his eyes ahead of him. "Your arrogant bravery has indeed been a nuisance at times, but it's also done us more good than bad. You did make a move on her before Deidara. Remember?" He said knowingly.

I thought back for a moment, then finally recalled what he was talking about. That's right, it was the day after we got here, when she kissed my head the night before. I hadn't known it then, but that's what hooked me in the first place. She'd taken the time to worry about my well-being and even brought me covers so I wouldn't freeze out in the living room. Nobody had ever done something like that for me before, and even though it was odd, it was also incredible.

I'd always thought chicks only dug me for my obvious good looks. No one had ever really taken the time to get to know me, like Naomi has. And even though she's with Deidara, she continues to be kind to all of us, including me, despite my rude behavior and crude language.

But this also brought to mind Samantha. I had to admit, the sex was great. And she was just as loving as Naomi, more even. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was -

Whoa, whoa, wait. Hold up a second. Maybe I was giving myself a little too much credit here. Samantha couldn't be...in love with me...could she?

No, surely not. She hadn't spent as much time with me as Naomi has. Then again, she didn't live with Naomi. She probably had other businesses to take care of, than to sit around with us all day. Still...

"Hidan!" I jumped at Kakuzu's sudden call, clearing my head of the weird thoughts. But the clone's hand was already coming down on my neck. I braced for impact and squeezed my eyes shut, knowing it was going to hurt having my head chopped off. Again, sigh.

But when the blow didn't come, I opened one eye a little. The clone's hand had stopped just an inch from my skin, its arm being restrained by a certain miser's threads. I looked incredulously at Kakuzu, who was looking right back at me. Without looking away, he sent a a larger, combined thread through the clone's chest, turning it to smoke.

"You need to be more careful." He said sternly, his red and green eyes boring into mine. My face felt like it wanted to heat up (from anger or embarrassment, I wasn't sure), but I forced the blush down.

"Ah, shut up and watch yourself!" I said, nodding behind him. He whirled around and hardened his fist before connecting it with the clone's face. There went another one, and here came more.

Well, that was certainly awkward. I mean, it wasn't like I would have died from that hit. I was immortal, for Jashin's sake. Sigh, but the rescue only brought to mind more incredulous thoughts. Kakuzu now, too? Now I knew I was giving myself too much credit.

* * *

**But now you have to wait until tomorrow ;P Hang tight!**


	58. Chapter 58

_*Naomi's POV*_

If anything, Deidara was the tired one by the end of our "training" session. We were well on our way back to the fight, which was surprisingly still going on. I felt bad about taking Deidara and ditching everyone to fight on their own, but I suppose it was better than just freezing up and getting in everyone's way. Now I could fight, at least to some degree.

To my surprise, the clones had not all been defeated, but the snake seemed long-since vanquished. Everyone looked a little worn out, but not like Deidara and I, even though I was still pretty pumped.

Testing out Deidara's methods, I intentionally caught the attention of a Kabuto clone, and it charged me with a deadly hand poised for attack. I had discovered my change in chakra nature, and was dying to use it for real this time. I closed my eyes, focusing solely on that clone as it neared me. I made a hand sign to gather my chakra.

Then, in one swift motion, I sprawled out my arms and did multiple twirls, sending flames flying up to three meters away from my body, efficiently destroying the clone. Deidara put a hand on my shoulder after the fire sizzled down, a proud smile on his face.

"That was perfect. Keep that up, Naomi, un. We'll need the help." He said, nodding toward the on-going battle. I nodded, and fearlessly ran toward the danger, a huge grin on my face. I felt confident now - confident in my ability to wield chakra correctly, confident in the outcome of this battle, and confident that I'll finally prove myself as the kunoichi I knew I was meant to be. Then maybe, maybe, I could fulfill my purpose. That seemed to be the only thought that still bothered me.

My fire jutsu were simple - fraying things around me in a three-meter radius, spouting flames from my mouth, and forming balls of fire in my hand to throw at my targets. I kept moving deeper within the opponent's line, heading for the source where they kept popping up from.

As I got closer, I could see it was a summoning scroll. Kabuto probably activated it and left it there to keep the attacks raining in. That could only mean it was a distraction while they did something somewhere else. Just another reason to get this done quickly.

I was ready for the next one that popped up right in front of me, burning it alive as the flames reached down to the scroll as well, frying it to a pile of ash on the ground. As the clones stopped appearing, the ones remaining slowly depleted until they finally were no more.

"Hooolyyy fuck." Said a familiar voice as the silver-hair approached me. "Where in the hell did all that come from?" Hidan asked, encasing me in a hug as he finally reached me. But then he jerked backwards. "Ow! Damn, you're hot." He said, checking his slightly burned palms and arms. Deidara laughed as he slung a nonchalant arm around my shoulders, having developed a tolerance to the heat after training with me for all that time.

"Damn right she is, un." He said, planting a kiss on my cheek. I giggled and playfully shoved him away, blushing once more.

"Stop it, you." I said in mock sternness before turning completely serious. "We're not done. Those two are still out somewhere. We have to find them." I said.

"We?" The others and I turned to look at Pein, who suddenly appeared in the front of the group. "Have you finally decided you're going to be of use to us?" He asked critically. Deidara tensed beside me, but I ignored him, nodding.

"Yes. I will no longer be a burden." I said respectfully, making his eyebrows shoot up for a moment.

"Great, now that that's settled, how about we focus on finding Orochimaru?" Kisame suggested, glaring pointedly at his Leader.

"Where do we start, un? He could be anywhere." Deidara said.

"Anywhere near here. If he felt the need to cause a distraction, that must mean he's somewhere nearby, trying to figure out a new plan of action." Itachi said strategically. "Most likely, he'll still be where he was first summoned into this world. I suggest we spread out and search the immediate area." He advised.

Without question, we nodded and took off. Deidara predictably dragged me along with him, though Sasori tagged along. The redhead, who was still inside his ugly puppet, no longer felt the need to question me. Perhaps he was just tired of having to deal with Deidara again and didn't want to hear his bitching. I could understand where he was coming from.

_*Orochimaru's POV*_

"I'm going to count to three!" Called the annoying voice from down below, using a volume-intensifier, as if I could not hear him clearly already. "One...two...thr-gah!" He was cut off by a strangled gasp as one of my snakes supposedly finished him and his squad off. I sighed, leaning back int he comfortable recliner.

I gazed down at the bloodied body that now stained the floor. I'd gone through the man's personal belongings, finding out his name was Rick. Not that I much cared for his identity. He didn't even look worthy of being acknowledged. I'd only taken the time to kill him because he annoyed me.

"Kabuto, where do you suppose we are?" I asked in a bored tone, resting my head on my fist, which was supported by the arm of the chair.

"No idea. From what I've seen of these people, there are no ninja. However, the Akatsuki are here." The Medical nin said, glancing down at the window. The sight was nothing more than a pile of dead bodies cluttering at the entrance of the building we'd arrived in. Not to mention the few that resided outside the door to this room.

"Well, if the Akatsuki are here, we might as well take the chance to finish them off, hmm?" I suggested, perking up a little at the idea. No doubt this world was fairly new to them, as well. They'd be cautious and wary, whereas we could go on and kill them for their ignorance.

"With all due respect, I have to detest, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto said, earning a glare from me. He bowed his head respectfully. "It's just that they seemed to have finished off my clones, as well as your snake. They clearly aren't taking the precautions of being in a new world, as we suspected. And they have a new girl with them." This made me look up with interest.

"A new girl? My, they haven't recruited in such a long time." I said thoughtfully, standing to join him at the window.

"I don't believe she's been officially recruited into the organization, Lord Orochimaru. She's seems to be just a mere ally they may have come across here." He said. "However, she possesses chakra, so this world must have some ninja in it. Unless she was summoned along with them for some reason."

There really was nothing to look at now. The streets had cleared, and I could plainly see the severed head of my snake and its body lying dead on the road in the distance. Well, they had made quick work of that, hadn't they? That simply won't do.

"Kabuto, do me a favour, will you?" I asked in mock kindness. He obliged, nonetheless. "Take care of the ones coming for us now. I have an idea I'd like to test out." I said thoughtfully. He nodded without question and headed out the door, carefully avoiding the dead bodies right outside.

As the door closed, I whipped out a scroll, forming the required hand signs. With no more reluctance, I performed the summoning jutsu. I was prepared for the angry glare that I received in response, but smiled regardless. He never liked to be summoned, but I thought he'd rather enjoy this.

"What do you want, Orochimaru? I told you not to summon me like this." The young raven said, glancing around. "Where are we?" He asked. I smiled.

"All in due time, boy. For now, I'd like to show you something." I said, gesturing for him to follow me to the window again. I pointed down at the surrounding trees, where two chakra signatures could be sensed heading in this direction. I felt him tense, and smiled. "There's Itachi. Wouldn't this be the perfect time to extract your revenge?" I chuckled. "Right, Sasuke?"


	59. Chapter 59

_*Itachi's POV*_

Kisame and I were well on our way into the city. It seemed havoc had been wreaked on the whole place. Dead bodies wearing official-looking uniforms littered the streets, cars were over-turned, buildings were on fire. For being here for barely a day, Orochimaru sure worked fast.

"Do you sense that, Itachi?" Kisame asked suddenly. I nodded. It wasn't hard to miss. That snake's chakra was so prominent that it was ridiculous. He didn't even try to hide his presence, but there was a problem. Aside from him and Kabuto, there was another chakra signature that I sensed. One that made my heart skip a beat.

Sasuke.

Of all the times, why must he show up now? Hasn't Orochimaru done enough without the help of his new pet? He probably just didn't want to have to deal with us at the moment, for whatever reason. Sasuke and I battling would surely take up more time than necessary. Whether or not Kisame would be able to go on ahead was doubtful.

We both stopped in the middle of the street, just as a figure appeared in front of us. The look of pure hatred on my younger brother's face nearly tore me, but time was of the essence here. Emotions merely got in the way in this situation.

"Well, haven't you grown?" Kisame noted with a sneer, hauling Samehada over his shoulder. "You've gotten taller." He added sarcastically.

"And I see you haven't changed a bit, Itachi." Sasuke snapped, completely ignoring my partner. I simply looked at him with my usual stoic expression. Honestly, could this not wait at least until we were back in our own world? This dimension didn't deserve the mayhem Orochimaru was causing, and neither did Naomi. It still irked me that she had to take on the life of a ninja in the first place. Sigh, these emotions were so confusing, but I dare not to question them.

"Sasuke, it's been so long. I take it Orochimaru's treated you well?" I inquired. He growled.

"Enough small talk, Itachi! You know what I want." He said demandingly. "Let's settle this, right here, right now." He whipped out his katana, and Kisame readied his sword. I held my hand p to stop my blue-skinned partner.

"No, Kisame. Let me handle this. It would be best if you went on ahead to find Orochimaru." I said calmly. He gave me a questioning look, but I ignored it. So he just shrugged and took off, running right past Sasuke, who didn't do a thing to stop him. I tilted my head a little. "Aren't you worried about your master's well-being at the hands of an Akatsuki member?" I asked in mock interest. This just earned me a harder glare and another growl.

"He is not my master! I don't follow under anybody!" He claimed. "Look, I don't know where we are, and I don't care. Anywhere is fine, just as long as I finally get to kill you." He said, gripping his sword tighter.

"Such big words, little brother. But are you certain you can fulfill them?" I asked before dashing toward him. He didn't miss a beat, flinging down his katana as I slashed at his neck with a kunai. The metal clashed, and we paused in a struggle to push the other back.

Finally, our strengths matched, we both slid backwards at the same time, though we didn't let this deter us at all. He came at me, the full intent of murder in his eyes, while I lithely dodged his attacks as I formed hand signs.

Unlike him, I had no real intention to kill. That had never been the fate I wanted for Sasuke, though I didn't plan on dying here. Especially not now. Sasuke had yet to meet my requirements for battle. This would not be the final feud between us.

_*Naomi's POV*_

There was no sign of the Snake Sannin in the direction we went in. Getting a little irritated, we headed back where we'd started. I wondered if any of the others had found him yet. If so, we needed to find them next. I was totally ready for this. Meaning I wanted to confront Orochimaru now. Like right now.

"Can't you move any faster in that puppet?" I called back to Sasori, who was lagging behind slightly. We'd started off in the direction Itachi and Kisame went, since they seemed like the best bet, having gone toward the city and all.

"No." The former Sand nin said simply. Deidara chuckled.

"Then maybe you should lose the puppet, Sasori. It is rather ugly, un." He said with a smirk.

"You're only saying that because of your misconception of art." Sasori shot back.

"No, really dude. The thing's grotesque." I said pointedly. He just humpfed and didn't give any further argument. I rolled my eyes. "Fine, if you're going to laze behind, I'm going on ahead." I said, impatiently boosting my speed.

"Wait, Naomi, un." Deidara said sternly, and I groaned aloud, slowing back down a little to match their speed. "I don't want you going in alone like that, un." I half-glared at him, and he glared right back. "No matter how ready you think you are, you can't do this alone, un. Don't leave us out like that." He said. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not leaving you out. If you would just pick up the damn pace..." He chuckled and didn't respond as we continued to run. Soon, we emerged into the open streets, and I saw just how wreaked the place was. "My goddess, what happened here?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Orochimaru." Sasori was the one to answer that, and I turned to look at him, since his voice sounded normal again. Sure enough, he was climbing out of Hiruko, dropping the summon as it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. "He likes to assert his dominance in new places. Or so Itachi says." He said, striding ahead of us. Oh, so now he wanted to go faster. Pfft.

"Hey, what's that up ahead, un?" Deidara asked, pointing toward some motion down the street. We all ran in that direction, but stopped once we saw that it was yet another battle. But it was the people who were battling that made us stop. Alright, when the hell did Sasuke get here? This was just horrible!

"Go on ahead..." Itachi said, his voice sounding a little trained as he dodged and returned blows. I rolled my eyes again.

"Yeah, that's gonna happen." I said in a smart-ass tone.

"I'm guessing you already sent Kisame ahead, un?" Deidara asked. Itachi just sent him a glare, not being able to talk as he fought. I noticed that his attacks weren't fatal at all, as if he was holding back. Why would he be doing that? Wasn't it, like, his life's goal to fight his younger brother? Why would he be refraining from killing him? "Yeah, that'll do for now, then." Deidara continued, putting his hands in his pouches.

"Oh, no you don't!" Sasuke exclaimed, sending a Lightning Blade his way. Deidara hadn't been expecting the attack, so his reaction speed wasn't quick enough. I could tell he wasn't going to get out of the way. One thought crossed my mind in that moment. Save. Deidara.


	60. Chapter 60

_*Kisame's POV*_

Orochimaru's chakra signature led me to a tall building, corpses littering the area around it. Picking my way through the bodies, I made my way to the front door, stepping inside cautiously as glass crunched under my feet.

I glanced around for any sign of movement. Nope, everyone was dead alright. Sheesh, even I was a little sick at the bloody, gruesome sights before me. Bodies lying all around, blood splattered on the walls, body parts in various places they don't belong. Well, if anyone could make this big of a mess, it was Orochimaru.

I started toward the stairs, not trusting the elevator a bit. But, before I started climbing, I sensed someone appear behind me. I turned around to see Kabuto. I grinned and shouldered Samehada. Finally, a fight. And, hopefully, with the real one this time.

"I won't let you go any farther." Kabuto stated, adjusting his glasses. I chuckled darkly.

"Oh, really? And how are you gonna stop me?" I asked sarcastically, swinging my sword as he dashed toward me. He feinted backwards, just out of reach of the blade, then lurched towards me, a needle dipped in poison ready in his hand.

Using my developed strength, I quickly swung Samehada back, hooking him right in the side and sending him flying. While the wrapped up blade wasn't meant for cutting, the force of the blow was pretty powerful. I let its tip hit the ground harshly, making a new dent in the floor as Kabuto coughed and stood up, using the wall behind him for support.

He didn't give up then, though. Holding a hand to his injured side, he threw senbon my way, and I easily blocked them with Samehada. Then, gripping the blade tightly, I ran at him, swinging forcefully. Unfortunately, he dodged, also trying to clip me with his hand in the process. He missed, but I felt a small portion of my neck go slightly numb from the close range of his attempted attack.

Ignoring that, I charged him again, bringing the sword down on his shoulder. He blocked it by crossing two kunai with each hand, having healed his side already. Still, it was just touching his shoulder, which was all I needed. I yanked back on the hilt, ripping the rough-skinned blade through its bindings as it tore into Kabuto's flesh.

He grunted and fell to his knees, immediately putting a hand that glowed green to his shoulder. I didn't give him the chance to heal properly, though, stalking forward and bringing my sword down again. He lept out of the way, biding his time as I continued to release attacks on him, forcing him to postpone his healing. Because of the section of his shoulder I sliced, he had no movement in his left arm. He would have to fight single-handedly.

Just then, two more people burst through the doors - Hidan and Kakuzu. They took note of the situation, but I stopped them before they could join in.

"No. Go upstairs." I grunted as he forced me backwards with an onslaught of attempted jabs to my vital arteries. "Find Orochimaru. I got this." I told them, swinging my sword once more, causing him to dodge backwards to keep out of harm's way.

"Right." Kakuzu said without question, taking Hidan's arm, who was about to argue, and leading him upstairs. I continued doing my best to keep Kabuto busy. And, if anything, Kakuzu and Hidan would be able to distract Orochimaru long enough until the others arrived.

_*Naomi's POV*_

I grunted as pain shot through my right arm. The Lightning Blade had pierced straight through my upper shoulder, easily slicing through the bone and everything. I fell to my knees as Sasuke retracted the blade, cursing quietly to himself.

"Don't get in my way." He growled at me, lightning crackling his hand. Fortunately, Itachi distracted him, forcing him to focus on his main foe whilst Deidara ran to me, one hand still in a pouch.

"What were you thinking, un?!" He yelled, his free hand flailing desperately around my injured arm. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead as I panted. Every little movement hurt like a fiery hell, but I forced myself to chuckle through it.

"I wasn't." I said sarcastically. He didn't look amused.

"I swear to Kami, Naomi, if you ever do that again, I'll -" I cut him off.

"Thank me and get on with life?" I suggested, making him glare.

"This is serious, Naomi. Are you even thinking about him, un?" He asked, gesturing to my stomach. A sudden nudge made me gasp lightly, holding the noticeably large bulge with my moveable hand. He was right. This could seriously hurt the little guy, not just myself. But how I was I supposed to choose between Deidara and him?

I grimaced at the memory of the nightmare that brought up. The dream Deidara had made me choose between him and the baby, even though I knew that was incredulous of him. I wasn't going to let that get to me this time. I could protect both of them, and I would. He just had to let me try -

"You're not fighting anymore, un." His words made my eyes go wide.

"What?! But you -" He cut me off this time.

"Don't argue with me. You're putting his life at stake by fighting, and I am not going to let you or him get hurt anymore than you already have, un." He said sternly. I gaped, wanting to say something, but I couldn't. He was right. I was endangering both of our lives, but...I couldn't just...stop fighting. Not after I just learned how.

"Fine." I told him miserably, hanging my head low. He put an arm around me in a half hug, finally removing his other hand from the pouch. He pulled back, opening his palm to reveal multiple little clay insects.

"Good. Now, stay put, un." He said, looking over at his redhead partner. "Watch her. Make sure she stays safe, un." He ordered. Surprisingly, Sasori just nodded, taking the blonde's place beside me as Dei approached the battle.

"You're not really planning on just standing by, are you?" He asked quietly, keeping his eyes on Dei. I smirked.

"No." I said, standing painfully as I clutched my shoulder. He stood with me, putting a steadying hand on my uninjured one.

"Here." He said, turning me so he could access my other shoulder better. He put a gentle hand on the bleeding wound, making me have to press my lips together to muffle the scream of pain that brought on. But, to my utter relief, the pain started to fade away, and I realized he was using some sort of Medical Nin-jutsu.

I also felt some of the chakra was he emitting flow out of my system, and into the ever-growing baby's. I smiled internally, remembering that he fed mostly off of that. No wonder I felt so tired.

* * *

**Sorry for not updating sooner! I had this written up last night, but my internet was out and I had to go to bed! I'll try to write faster (always do), but TCAPs are going on and I am pooped. But, anyway, here you go ;P!**


	61. Chapter 61

_*Kakuzu's POV*_

I sensed Orochimaru's chakra at the top of the building, which is where I stopped dragging Hidan along. We cautiously slowed down as we entered the hallway lined with doors. The one we were heading to was at the end of the hall, where carcasses lay in front of. Even the zealot stayed quiet as we approached the threshold. The suspense was drowning, but I forced myself to stay calm. The snake Sannin would be able to sense the anxiety coming from us.

We reached the door, and looked at each other, nodding silently. Then I hardened my fist and broke the door in while he charged forward, his scythe at the ready. But Hidan stopped just inside, looking around confusedly. I stepped in as well, glancing around for whatever he couldn't see. It seemed Orochimaru had left, though I could still sense his presence.

We looked around, and I opened the door to a closet. I jumped back at the body that fell out, poising for an attack that didn't come. I calmed down, realizing the body was dead. But that was the source of the chakra I sensed, so I turned it over to face up.

"Damnit!" I growled, tossing the body back down. Hidan met up with me at the door as I stormed out.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Orochimaru has changed bodies. He's no longer here; just his previous corpse." I said annoyedly.

"You mean he's found another fucking vessel already?" Hidan asked incredulously. I rolled my eyes.

"No, you idiot." I said, making him growl, though I ignored it. "He can make copies of his own body to leave the previous one as a decoy. He's probably a good distance away by now." I told him. He groaned in what I guessed was frustration.

"Can't we ever get a break?" He complained, sprinting down the stairs ahead of me, taking three at a time. I sighed and followed him, though we were held up in the lobby.

Kabuto seemed to have gotten multiple hits in on Kisame, seeing as how the shark-resembling nin was limping and seemed to favour his left arm, which was wildly flailing his sword. His misdirected attacks were easy for Kabuto to dodge, for he seemed close to perfectly fine.

"Kisame!" I yelled as a clone snuck up behind him. He looked too late as the clone jabbed him with a glowing hand in his side. He cried out in pain, falling to his knees. I ran to him while Hidan distracted Kabuto. He had several lacerations all over his body, his clothes torn and ripped as he breathed raggedly. I took hold of his back and gently lowered him to the ground, seeing as how he didn't look like he could stay awake much longer.

"I think I've lost my touch." He said, his voice raspy, though sarcastic. I shook my head, ripping open his shirt the rest of the way and assessing his wounds. Damn, where was Sasori when you needed him?

Still, my stitching would have to do for now. I used the threads from my arms to sew together the larger gashes. Fortunately, they were all smoothly cut, making for a clean process. The rest of his injuries weren't life threatening, so they could be left until we found substantial help.

I reached down and lifted Kisame's arm over my head, noticing that he had fallen asleep at some point. I stood, hefting his body into a more comfortable position as I looked for Hidan. He and his opponent were fighting vigorously. A particularly harsh jab with the butt of Hidan's scythe sent Kabuto flying out the front doors. The Jashinist followed with a crazed grin on his face.

I followed him out slowly, finding it rather difficult to haul an unconscious grown man around on my side/shoulders. Outside, I was met with an array of powerful explosions. When the smoke from the attack cleared, I was able to see Itachi, Deidara and Sasuke Uchiha in the same area. Well, that couldn't be good.

Down the street, Hidan and Kabuto's battle moved farther and farther away. I noticed two figures running after them, recognizing the head of flowing brown hair easily. Surprisingly, easier than Sasori's red hair, even. I guess that's what happens when you spend too much time in a different dimension. Oh well.

"Naomi! Where are you going, un?!" Deidara yelled suddenly, looking panicked as he finally spotted his lover running off.  
"I'll keep an eye on her, brat!" Sasori called back as they rounded the corner that Hidan and Kabuto passed. The blonde growled sending another assault of bombs at Sasuke before running after them. I stopped him before he got too far.

"Kakuzu? What are you -" He cut himself off as he caught sight of the body I was holding. "Crap, Kisame! Lay him down, un." He said, helping me ease the man's body to the ground. He looked over the wounds I hadn't been able to treat. "This was Kabuto's doing, right, un?" He asked; I nodded. "Alright."

He put his hands over a small cluster of scratches, and then they began to glow the same kind of green as Orochimaru's servant. I furrowed my brows. "How do you know Medical Nin-jutsu?" I asked, not having been aware of this. I was under the impression that Deidara's skills were limited to his explosive destruction.

"Danna taught me while we were still in our dimension. He said it would come in handy if he wasn't around, un." He said without looking away from the blue nin's scars. I raised and dropped my eyebrows, thoroughly surprised. The fact that the blonde bomber was even able to learn anything other than explosives was impressive in itself. Now, if only Hidan could learn something...

Deidara's work was quick, yet deliberate. He only sealed Kisame's wounds enough to where they wouldn't be opened again easily, though they weren't fully healed. After that, he helped me bring Kisame's body over to the side, mostly out of the way of any danger. The battle between the Uchiha brothers was shockingly rather contained, though the ground around their immediate surroundings was crumbling under the pressure it was taking on.

"I'll stay here and keep watch over him. I think Itachi has things covered with his brother." I said, glancing at the older raven for confirmation. Itachi nodded back knowingly, deflecting Sasuke's katana with a kunai before launching a few fireballs at him. "I believe you have some matters to attend to with Naomi."

Deidara nodded and thanked me before dashing off the way the others went. I did my best to keep the battle away from my resting comrade, throwing Sasuke a threatening glare to keep him at bay, and even going so far as to mutilate the ground when they came too close. I only hoped Hidan wasn't acting too rash with his own battle. Sigh, the zealot really did need to learn a thing or two about strategy. His only focus in battle was to get in as many attacks as possible until he could perform his ritual jutsu.

_*Naomi's POV*_

I felt a hell of a lot more confident with Sasori by my side. Not to mention Hidan taking the initiative. Even if Deidara didn't want me fighting Sasuke, I was sure having two Akatsuki members helping to face off a surely weaker opponent was okay. Well, I might get some shit for it later, but I had to do something now. I couldn't just sit around like a bum, especially not with my new found abilities.

It was fairly easy to catch up to Hidan and Kabuto. The Jashinist was doing a good job at keeping the medical nin at a distance with his scythe, though he was really aiming to get some of his blood, I was sure. Sasori and I stopped a little ways away. I pursed my lips, hoping the redhead would think I was waiting for something instead of trying to formulate a plan, since I didn't have the mental capacity to think of one on the way.

"I'll take the zealot's left flank, you take his right. We'll go from there." Sasori said. I sighed, but nodded as we went to join Hidan. Sasori immediately summoned one of his puppets, an unfamiliar one this time. Kabuto seemed surprised of the new reinforcements, but didn't falter in dodging and sending more attacks at us. He merely made more clones to fight us. It was a breeze to take out the two that came after me with my three-meter-ranged fire attack (which I decided to call Flaming Fan).


	62. Chapter 62

Hidan distracted Kabuto from making more clones while Sasori and I ran at him from the sides. Sasori's puppet released a spike from its right palm, wielding it like a sword. I formed the hand signs Deidara taught me as I charged from the left.

"Fire-style, Flaming Flower Bomb!" I exclaimed, coming up with the name right off the top of my head. I shot small spit-fires from my hands directed at the enemy.

Kabuto chose to focus on Sasori's attack first. However, while using a kunai to block the blade of the puppet, he was able to lithely dodge my fire bombs without much trouble. He didn't seem to pay me much mind, though, which was already pissing me off.

Perhaps he didn't think I was worthy of noting. After all, I hadn't shown him anything near my full potential yet. I only knew three jutsu, two of which he's already seen. I'd been holding back from using it because it was the most powerful in my arsenal. It had worn me out mastering it with Deidara, mostly because the baby was feeding on any and all chakra I exerted. Not that I blamed him for anything, of course not. He was just growing by any means necessary, and I was not going to stop him.

Still, if I wanted to prove myself to help instead of hinder, I needed to at least try it. So, while Kabuto was focused on Sasori and Hidan, I began to form more hand signs. Tori, Ryu, Inu, Tora, repeat three times. I waited for Sasori and Hidan to get of of harm's way and took a deep breath, feeling the gathered chakra fight to stay where it was.

"Fire-style, Dance of the Flaming Tiger!" I shouted, spinning around on one foot as a line of fire shot from my mouth. It gathered in density until it formed a huge pillar, which then took the form of a giant, raging tiger.

The other Akatsuki actually stood to gape as the fire-tiger lunged toward Kabuto on its massive paws, feigning back and forth like it was maneuvering around trees as it charged. Then it lept into the air, spreading its two forearms to eliminate any chance of escape.

My eyes caught something just before impact, though. Something appeared, but I couldn't tell what, for the fire-tiger had already clashed with its target. I had to wait for the smoke of the explosion to clear in order to see it, and I growled when I finally did.

Instead of being blown to bits of flaming flesh, Kabuto had been saved by none other than Orochimaru, who had summoned some sort of stone snake to conceal them from the attack. My eyes locked onto the snake-ish orbs of the face that was giving me that creepy, overly confident smile of his.

The summoned barrier disappeared as the last of the flames died. Sure enough, I was feeling immensely weak. My legs trembled under me, threatening to give out at any given moment. I definitely wouldn't be able to use that jutsu again, much less defend myself against any formidable attacks.

"Well, it seems I've underestimated you, girl." Orochimaru hissed, chuckling darkly. "That's a good thing, though. It just means that you have more to offer me." He added. I balled up my fists, wanting to attack but not being able to.

"Whatever it is you want from me, you are so not getting it! Succumbing to you is the last thing I'll ever do!" I yelled. At the moment, my nightmare was foremost in my mind. He had wanted my baby then, and who knows what he'll try and take now. Still, he continued to look at me with that sickening grin on his face.

"Trust me, child, I know that's what you think. But I'm afraid you have no choice." He said. Somehow, his smile got wider. "And I believe you already know what I want." He said knowingly.

My hand immediately flew to my stomach, eyes wide and mouth agape. How did he know about that? That had only been a dream, a nightmare! And the only person I'd ever told was Deidara. Was it possibly that maybe, just maybe...Orochimaru had planted that dream from the very beginning? Could he have sensed a confrontation with me and the dream was a simple warning?

I mentally shook my head. No, not possible. That was crazy, stuff like that didn't just happen, especially not to me. Then again, anime characters popping up in your bedroom didn't just happen, either. And they were all from the Naruto-verse. Shit like this happened all the time! the dream must've been an omen or something, as well as the drawing. I should have paid more attention to them, instead of just tossing them in the back of my mind like a wimp. Now I was paying for not being prepared.

"NAOMI!" I blinked at my name being called rather loudly, realizing I'd just been frozen in front of Orochimaru this whole time. I looked behind him, to the corner of the street we were on, and saw my beloved blonde bobble-head running this way, arm raised. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER, YOU SNAKE!" Deidara threw the object in his raised hand, and it didn't take me long to realize what it was.

The once tiny clay bomb emerged into a bigger form of itself - a huge bird. Deidara jumped on its back, still flying this way as he launched smaller clay bombs toward Orochimaru and Kabuto, who were now defenseless.

But they simply jumped out of the way in different directions as Deidara and his mount came hurling past them. He slowed down when he reached me, desperately lowering his hand down to me.

"Naomi, get on. I can't let you near him, un." He said, a deeply worried look in his eye as he waited for my hand. I remained frozen, my hand still on my stomach, which gave a painfully reminding nudge in response to my panic. I couldn't let him take me away from what I was meant to do. I had to confront Orochimaru once and for all, now that my time had come. I had to fulfill my purpose as a Shinobi.

I took a step away from him and his bird, shaking my head slowly. He looked taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained himself and reached further with his hand.

"Don't do this, Naomi. This is far beyond your capability, un. You just became a full-fledged Shinobi, but you are far from the ranks of Jounin, much less S-rank, un." He said, seeming to panic a little when I continued to inch away from him. "Naomi! You can't do this! Don't make me- Naomi!" He called out when I turned and ran in the other direction, seeing Orochimaru dead ahead.

I ignored him. He didn't understand. All my life, I'd been a completely normal, fangirl teenager, with no greater purpose in life than to become a professional artist or carpenter and pay off everything that I ever owed to anyone. My plan was to get what I could from Kristal's Koffee (not that I didn't love it there), move on to managing my own business of either of the former choices, and grow old with maybe a husband and a couple kids, a boy and a girl. Then, after paying off whatever payments I needed to, my husband and I would retire and watch our kids grow up strong and successful or however they wanted to live their life. And then I'd die peacefully before or after my husband, I really didn't mind either way. Everything I owned would go to my kids and they'd actually do something with their lives.

Now, how boring did that sound?

By doing this, I could make something of my life instead of just being a boring, introverted stick in the mud with nothing better to do than giggle and blush at yaoi fanfics of the Akatsuki. I had Deidara, which was more than I'd have ever asked for, and now I was being blessed with what I knew was going to be a beautiful, talented child who will most certainly know of his/her heritage. I'll confront Orochimaru, defeat him or not, and feel absolutely fabulous afterwards. My only fear was dying, but only because it would take away my unborn child's life, as well. If she/he could be guaranteed a fulfilling life, then I'd willingly throw mine away with a smile on my face. Anything to give this child what he deserves.

Which is why I forced more chakra into my system as I ran at Orochimaru now. I didn't specify the jutsu I wanted to perform, just something powerful and fiery. I felt my skin heat up, and I could have sworn my vision glowed a bright orange. My hair lifted as my feet flew across the pavement, my only focus being the slightly taken aback, pale monster in front of me.

With a cry of pure rage, I lept into the air as I reached him, balling up my fist, which then blazed with an aura of fire. I brought the incredible punch down on him, feeling a satisfying impact. I landed safely on my feet while the last I saw of him was his body flying backwards and through the wall of a building behind him.

I breathed heavily and swayed as my energy depleted completely, landing harshly on my knees. I felt hands on me, and saw the worried faces of the Akatsuki, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Deidara pushed past them all and put his hands on either side of my face, his mouth moving frantically as he tried to tell me something. I couldn't find the strength to respond, and simply let my eyes fluttered closed as I felt the breath slip out of me.

The last thing I remembered before blacking out was a face behind my eyelids. A familiar face, smiling a familiar smile, with familiar blonde locks dangling from its head. A girl, definitely a girl. The rest of her tiny, infant body appeared to me, as if I were holding her in my arms. She raised a petite hand, and settled it softly on my cheek. I felt something odd, and looked down to see a small imprint of an even tinier mouth on her palm, making me smile. Like father like daughter.

And then something incredible happened. She opened the mouth on her face, smile still intact, and said in a very clear, very sweet voice, "Thank you, Mamma."

And then the darkness consumed me.


	63. Chapter 63

**OC request for Lady Of Epic and Awesomeness! Really enjoyed incorporating her into this story, girl! Hope you like it!**

* * *

I was conscious of being unconscious, if that made any sense. Probably not, but whatever. Anyway, my subconscious mind had put me in a dark room, with nothing else around me. I glanced around skeptically, but didn't seen anything out of the ordinary. Except for being in a completely empty black room, that is.

But then, suddenly, something clattered to the floor in front of me. When it settled on the apparently hard-wood floor, I bent down to pick it up. I fingered it in my hand for a moment as I studied its features: a heart-shaped necklace with a golden shell and chain. There was a seam and a clasp, so I carefully popped the charm open, furrowing my brows at the images inside.

On the left was a picture of me, though I was noticeably younger. And on the right was a picture of someone whose name I couldn't place. I remembered her from somewhere, but couldn't remember from where. It seemed really important to know now, and I was dead-set on finding out.

Then the name came to me, and I nearly dropped the pendant from surprise. How could I ever forget? Hanabira Soyokaze, the sly, most cunning female I know and love. Given, she has a sweet and shy exterior, but wait until you really get to know her.

Anyway, we were friends, like, way back when, before my parents died. Hanabira (or Habiki, as I like to call her) and I both lived in Virginia when we were younger. And let me tell you, when we met, you did not want to be around us. I'm talkin' pranks, loud mouths, all that.

But, after my parents died and the orphanage butt in, I had to move away in order to not be put in a foster home, which was seven years ago. Habiki's parents had died when she was six - horrible plane crash accident. She lived with a nanny and maids and all that, since her family was filthy rich. Not that I ever envied her for it. Hell, she bought me all sorts of stuff, even though I argued about it every time.

Habiki and I had been the best of friends, closer than Samantha and I were now even. We used to do everything together, and spent most nights at each other's house. We hated being away from each other; we were like significant others. The first few months after I moved had been rough on me. But then school started getting in the way, I got sucked into the problems in my life, and memories just started to...fade away.

But I could never forget her. I'm surprised it took me the full second it did to recognize her in the tiny picture. I wondered if she'd changed at all. In the picture, her hair only came down to her shoulders, like mine did at the time. The colour of her hair seemed to be bipolar, as I liked to call it. Her roots were a bright, platinum blonde, nearly matching Hidan's shade. Then, further down, streams of gold and silver mixed with it, giving the impression of a high-quality glossy curtain than natural hair colour, which it was.

Her eyes didn't deter from her beauty in the least - a light golden colour with specks of hazel and green, like some sort of unknown gemstone that lit up when she smiled a brilliant, white-toothed grin, like how she did in the picture. These features alone, mixed with her flawless, creamy white skin made for a goddess-like figure. Like I said, I never envied her, but I could spend hours at a time just staring at her and marveling at her beauty, and I'd always get so excited when she let me play with her hair and do it up in all sorts of pretty hair-do's. She always said she wished she had my looks instead, and I'd always tell her she was crazy to want to give up what she had.

I blinked as I realized I'd been staring and smiling at the long-since forgotten locket of my best friend from the past. Funny, how this was a dream but I could remember things in such detail. Clutching the locket suddenly, I wondered if it could be another omen. Could Hanabira be in danger? Did this have something to do with Orochimaru? Why would I be reminded of her now, of all times? Not that I minded reminiscing in the few good things of my past. Hmm...maybe I should give her a call -

I gasped as my eyes shot open from the painful slap that had been delivered to my face, turning my head completely sideways on the pillow I was laying on. I gently caressed my now throbbing cheek as I sat up and glared at the guilty person.

"OW! What the hell, Hidan?!" I yelled, picking up the pillow and throwing it at him as he backed away laughing.

"You wouldn't wake up and these pansies thought you were fucking dead." He said with a grin, gesturing to all the other Akatsuki, who shot up from their seats at the sight of my awakening. I realized I was in the living room, laying atop a mound of blankets on the coffee table, another mound draped across me. I looked around at them with furrowed brows, still rubbing my cheeks.

"Why am I on the coffee table?" I asked in confusion.

"It was sufficient foundation to heal you on. You lost an immense amount of chakra, and nearly exerted yourself to death." Sasori said, standing and walking over to put a hand on my forehead. I didn't object, seeing as how he was a renowned healer. "Your fever has gone down. You should be fine for now." He said without any real emotion, walking back and taking his seat as Deidara took his place on the table beside me.

I realized then how beat-up everyone looked, but I felt fine (aside from my face that is). Had they not been healed yet? Deidara still had blood seeping from the wound on his face, Kakuzu had a blood stain over the part of his chest where one of his hearts should be, Itachi had scars and bruises all over him, and the others were no better. But one was missing - Kisame.

"Where's Kisame?" I croaked, suddenly feeling the rawness in my throat. Damn, how far had I really pushed myself?

"He's taking up the kitchen table, un. He hasn't woken up yet." Deidara said, instinctively reaching for my hand as I started to get up. I was thankful for the support, seeing as how I nearly face-planted once I was on my own two feet.

He helped me limp over toward the kitchen, and I saw for myself the bloodied ninja taking up the table. I made my way over to him with Dei's help, looking over his partially bare body. He had bandages wrapped around his upper torso and his whole right arm and shoulder, as well as his forehead and both of his legs. All of the bandages were bloody, and I realized there probably wasn't any left to change them with. Damn, I'd have to go buy some more, and get everybody else fixed up, too.

"How long has he been out?" I asked, still taking in his state of unconsciousness.

"Same as you - three days, un." Deidara said, making me gape at him.

"Three days?! Are you serious?!" I asked incredulously; he nodded. "Well, what about Orochimaru and Kabuto? What about Sasuke, did Itachi kill him? What about -" He cut me off by putting a finger to my lips.

"Everything's fine, un. Orochimaru transported himself, Kabuto and Sasuke away after that attack you landed on him. We think they're still in the area, but they're not a threat to us now, un." He assured me. I let out a sigh of relief, then grunted as something tugged at my stomach. I looked down and gasped.

Holy shit! My stomach was fucking huge! I gave it an experimental poke, and received a nudge in response, more prominent this time. Deidara gently put his hand over mine, making me look up at his softened features.

"Yeah, I know. I watched him grow myself, un. It's amazing how quick he's developing. Sasori even says that he could be born any day now, un." He said quietly, making me gape. Any day now? Well, crap! This wasn't good! What would I do if he was born and Orochimaru was finally able to get his grimy hands on him? Does this mean I'd have to stay in hiding or something while the others fought?

"Don't do that around me." Said a strained voice from below, making us both turn to the table as Kisame struggled into a sitting position. The others filed into the kitchen then, and Sasori purposely put his hand on Kisame's right shoulder, making the blue nin cry out in pain as he lay back down.

"Don't move. Your bones are still healing." Sasori said, using a glowing hand to check over his patient's body.

"But Naomi's up and awake." Kisame whined, sounding a little pitiful.

"Naomi didn't almost break every bone in her body. Don't. Move." Sasori repeated, doing the same thing to his shoulder when he tried to sit up again.

"Yeah, and what about the rest of you guys? you still look horrible." I noted, gesturing to the others who looked like they'd just come back from a war rather than having had three days of rest.

"We used most of the medical supplies on you can Kisame. All Sasori could do was seal up some of the wounds." Pein said, suddenly appearing in the kitchen then, having not been present before. Oh, yeah, I nearly forgot he was there. Oh. He was there.

"Well, why'd you go and do that?" I muttered; Deidara chuckled and rubbed my back.

"Because you're just special like that, un." He said, leaning his head on my shoulder as he wrapped his arms around my enlarged stomach, just being able to lock his fingers.

"Well, I'll just go out and get more supplies then." I said, as if it were the logical thing to do, which it was.

"We already sent Tobi out. He should be back any minute." Pein said, glancing at the clock. As if on cue, the front door opened and the masked Uchiha walked in with bags in his arms.

"Tobi needs help!" The boy cried, staggering under the weight. I took a step forward, but Pein was already over there taking the bags from him. I sighed. Boy, did I feel helpless.

"Don't worry. Now we can get everyone else fixed up, un." Deidara assured me. I smiled slightly.

"Good, do that now. It's bad enough you spent all this time on me and this dobe." I said, jerking my thumb towards Kisame, who laughed sarcastically. Dei nodded and he and the others went to go fix up. Minus Pein and Tobi, who seemed perfectly fine. Honestly, what had they been doing the entire time? Could they have still been searching for Orochimaru while we were fighting him? Pfft, haha! Someone got left out.

I sighed and sat down at the table, leaning my elbow on Kisame's leg, who tried hard to suppress a groan of pain, which only made me smile internally. Hey, I felt brand-spankin'-new, and I just recently became a ninja. And this bitch is over here whining because of a multitude of broken bones? Pfft. Seriously, though.

"How're you doing?" I asked, removing my arm and rubbing his leg affectionately. He heaved a sigh, closing his blackened eyes.

"Not as well as you, apparently. Here I am, bloody and broken, and you're over there perfectly fine while supporting a kid at the same time." He said, cracking a teasing grin. "Dunno. Maybe that's just pregnancy stuff. Guess I'll never find out." He said jokingly.

"I don't know..." I chimed in a sing-song voice, making him crack an eye open. "Depends on what all you broke." I said. He glared at me for a moment, then we both started laughing. Unfortunately, that caused him to start coughing as he held a hand to his racking chest. I rubbed his seemingly uninjured shoulder until he calmed down. "Don't stress yourself. You've still got a lot of healing to do." I said. Without much thought, I leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek, like I always used to with children who got hurt on the playground or something. It always seemed to draw a smile out of them, and made the little boys giggle and run away telling their moms they got kissed by a girl. Making people happy made me happy, I guess.

Still, he blinked in surprise when I straightened myself, his cheeks turning the slightest shade of purple. Only then did I realize that that could have been taken many different ways. I gulped and blushed when he didn't say anything, just stared at me with a look in his eye I really didn't want to see. 'Deidara is your boyfriend, Deidara is your boyfriend,' I kept saying to myself as I smiled awkwardly and turned away.

Just then, the phone rang, giving me the perfect excuse to walk away and answer it.

"Hello?" I said, not really thinking about who it might be, given the fact that half the town had been ruined.

"Naomi? Would you care to explain to me why the street in front of your house looks like a jigsaw puzzle?" Asked the voice on the other end. I furrowed my brows. Who was this, and why were they in front of my house?

I didn't answer as I walked to the front door, passing the busied Akatsuki in the living room as I still held the phone in my hand. I opened the door and peeked out, nearly dropping the phone in shock at what I saw parked in front of my house. What the hell was a fucking limo doing here?!

"Uh, who is this?" I asked into the phone, too freaked out to approach the vehicle.

"Well, I can see you haven't changed a bit." Said the voice as the back window of the limo rolled down. A person - a girl - leaned out the window with one arm weighed with flashy bracelets dangling down the side while the other was propped up on the window seal, holding the shiny Iphone to the girl's ear. She wore a grin on her face, which was almost unrecognizable due to the amount of makeup she had on.

But that did nothing to stop me from recognizing her right away, thanks to a certain dream I'd had earlier.

This time, I did drop the phone. I was sure Habiki was going to yell at me for breaking it on the concrete ground.

* * *

**Did I do a good job? Like I said, this is just her introduction, I plan on doing so much more with her later on (lol that sounded wrong). Let me know if I need to change anything, Lady!**


	64. Chapter 64

Sure enough, Hanabira gasped as soon as the device left my hand, and the look of horror on her face as it clattered in a heap on the ground reminded me of the old days. She was always so stingy about money, and now that I thought about it, reminded me a lot of Kakuzu. Except, you know, gender.

"I come to see you after seven years and this is the greeting I get? Come now, Nini, you should know better." The woman said, though she retained her smirk. I just stood and gaped like a dolt, blinking my eyes every now and then to make sure I was really seeing this.

She looked so completely different, but all the same. Her hair had grown down to her waist - I could see as she stepped out of the limo - she'd managed to keep that perfect, slender body of hers, the makeup and jewelery only added to her beauty, and (dare I say it)...she looked better than before.

She now wore a fitting white tank-top that showed off her cleavage, an unzipped black leather jacket (more for looks than for biking), tight black skinny jeans that showed off her nice curves with artificial rips and tears in them, along with some random chains, and knee-high, black and silver converse shoes. That combined with her more than likely authentic diamond ear-rings, gold studs and the many metallic bracelets gathering on her arms made for a new-and-improved Hanabira Soyokaze.

Before I knew it, she was standing in front of me, waving her hand in front of my face and snapping for good measure. I blinked out of my trance and focused on the close-up image of her amused face.

"I see you still have those staring problems. How about we start with, 'hello'?" She suggested, though her voice was kind and patient. My mouth did a gaping-fish thing until I finally found my voice again.

"H-hi." I managed to mumble out, making her laugh. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Habiki...what the hell are you doing here? Where have you been? How did you find me? Where's your brother, Tsuriyure? How is he? Are you-" She cut me off by covering my mouth with her hand.

"Okay, first you were too quiet, but now you're overwhelming me. Perhaps we could sit down and talk?" She suggested, taking my lines from me. I mentally slapped myself repeatedly and stood aside to let her in. Damn my awkwardness...

Unfortunately, letting her in right then may not have been the best decision. I realized this as the ear-splitting screech reached me.

At first, my mental-illness's first thought was danger, so I ran in behind her, looking around for something out of the ordinary. Aside from the Akatsuki, whom I'd gotten used to, I didn't see anything.

"What? What is it?" I asked worriedly. I mean, come on, having your BFF from the past suddenly showing up on your doorstep is pretty fucking traumatizing, especially when it's absolutely normal and you've been living weeks of abnormality. Speaking of weeks, what day was it today?

"D-don't you seem them?!" Habiki asked in a hushed whisper, as if they couldn't hear her. THEN it hit me.

"Oh...that...That's going to need some explaining." I said nervously. The others looked up.

"How much did that phone cost?" Kakuzu asked sternly from his spot on the floor. I sighed.

"About twenty dollars -" His eyes widened considerably.

"Twenty dollars?!" He exclaimed incredulously. "And you just dropped it?!" He looked like he could have a five-way heart attack.

"Calm your jock-straps, old man." Hidan said annoyedly, giving a particularly harsh nudge toward the bleeding section on his chest. Kakuzu grunted and growled, whipping the zealots head with a collection of threads. Habiki looked like she could just die right there.

I sighed, taking her shoulders and leading her away. I was sure, after seeing Samantha's reaction, they probably weren't all that surprised by Habiki's. Still, for her own good, I led her back to my room, sitting down next to her on my bed.

"Okay, Habiki, I know this is going to sound strange, but -" She cut me off. Wow, I was starting to get tired of that.

"Those were the freaking Akatsuki! Like, the real Akatsuki!" She whisper-shouted, though she didn't look too pleased. I furrowed my brows.

"How did you know?" I asked. Even Samantha, the biggest Narutard other than myself I know, thought they were just cosplayers.

"I've been to more Naruto cosplay conventions than you can count, girly. I hosted a few of them, too." She added, though it didn't hardly surprise me any. "I know a costume when I see one, and those are not costumes!" I put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Right...I'm proud of you." I said cheerfully, remembering how I'd never gone to any sort of cosplay convention. Believe me, I wanted to, but between work and school, there was just no time.

"Naomi! They're the Akatsuki. They're dangerous! So why are they bleeding all over your living room?!" She asked incredulously. She only made me want to laugh, but I forced myself to stay serious.

"They're not dangerous to us, Habiki, don't worry so much. That's Hidan's job." I told her, though I only received a glare.

"Naomi...you're not...letting them stay here...are you?" She asked timidly. I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it, realizing I shouldn't. the hesitance was all she needed, though. "Oh, no, Naomi! Why must you be so reckless? You can't be living with those Akatsuki bastards while you're so obviously pregnant!" She said, gesturing to my pronounced bulge. I rolled my eyes, but the next words that came out of my mouth were unpermitted.

"Deidara's the one who got me pregnant in the first place." I said, instantly regretting it.


	65. Chapter 65

It took quite a bit of explaining and a few hard slaps to the face for both of us, but I finally got it all across to her by nightfall. I'd started from Samantha giving me the website, all the way up to Orochimaru suddenly appearing in town. And, no, I didn't leave out the part that I had chakra. that was the best fucking part.

Anyway, the reason she was so freaked out is because, in her fandom, she is dead-set against the Akatsuki. Like, she absolutely resented them for all that they'd done. One minor difference between us, I guess.

So, even after all this craziness was explained to her, she refused to leave my side with the Akatsuki in the room. She said, and I knew this to be true, it was more for my protection than her own. Well, this could get tedious.

Anyway, apparently, Hanabira was visiting from Virginia just to see me. Said she got a weird feeling and wanted to make sure I was alright. Coincidence, I assure you. Originally, her plan had been to check up on me and get back home. But, with the new "threat", there was no way she was going to leave my side until the baby was born and the Akatsuki were gone.

So, naturally, she invited me over to her temporary house (*cough-mansion-cough*). And, naturally, I refused to leave without Deidara, who, correspondingly, refused to let me go without at least two guards (pfft). Deidara didn't trust Hidan, Kakuzu would have another heart-attack at all the money spent on decor alone, Sasori would die of boredom, Kisame freaked Habiki out, Tobi will wind up breaking everything, and Pein had to stay and watch over whoever remains at my house to keep them in line. So, naturally, that only left Itachi. Could have been worse, I suppose.

Habiki had her chauffeur pick us up in her limo, despite my telling her not to. However, she insisted that the Akatsuki "scum" sit on the opposite side of the cab of us. Seeing as how it was testing her limits just bringing them along, I reluctantly agreed, though I teased her by playing footsy with Deidara, nearly making her throw up.

It didn't take long to arrive at her temporary dwelling. The chauffeur opened the door for us and we stepped out. My mouth immediately dropped at the sheer size of the place, though I should have expected nothing less. Leave it to Hanabira to rent off private property for what would have been a mere couple days.

We walked inside, and the decor, as I predicted, was Kakuzu death worthy. Golden coloured, swirly designs riddled the beige walls, creamy white wood rimming the corners and crevasses. All the wooden furniture seemed top-notch and well refined, topped with probably priceless antique vases and meaningless items.

As we walked in, though, I was taken aback by the classic look of the place. Just inside, there was a small area with a hallway that led to some back room with two curling staircases winding their ways to the second and third floor. The banisters were shiny and slick, perfectly smoothed for a comfortable grasp. The stairs themselves were covered by a soft, black velvet carpet, precisely cut to curve with the steps. A huge chandelier hung from the very top, seen by looking up from the base of the stairs as it hung from the ceiling, dangling with beautiful crystalline branches lined with beads and shining fluorescent lights. A sure sight to behold.

"Habiki...have you gotten richer?" I asked in awe, still looking around at the lustrous mansion interior. She chuckled, admiring from the front door still.

"Dunno. Money just comes in these days." She said. Her tone of voice made me look at her and return to her side. She seemed sad, and I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" I asked, completely worried. She was always so light spirited; it was rare to see her like this. If something was getting her down, it was a big something.

"It's just...boring, I suppose. But, never mind that. Why don't you all get settled in?" She suggested, walking forward with what I knew was a forced smile. "Kahi! Meido!" She called out. Immediately, two people - girls - came running. One was noticeably older than the other, by a good twenty to thirty years, whilst the younger looked to be about twenty herself. "Please show our guests to their rooms. Naomi will be staying with the blonde, and the other will take an adjacent room." She ordered.

"Right away, ma'am." The younger said in a heavy Scottish accent.

"Yes, mistress." The elder wheezed in a normal accent. The two made their way over to us as Habiki wandered off somewhere. While I was still worried about her, I knew better than to follow. Sometimes, she just needed to be alone. She'd tell me when she was ready.

"Your rooms will be on the second floor, if that's alright, my lady." The younger woman said politely. I smiled kindly.

"Anything's fine, really. And, you don't have to call me 'lady'. Just Naomi will do." I told her in the kindest way I could. She shook her head quickly.

"Oh no, my lady. It's against the mistress's rules to go by a casual basis." She said. "Please, think nothing of it. we're here to serve." She said with a chipper smile. I frowned a little, but nodded and began to follow her and the other up the stairs.

"And what might your name be?" I asked hopefully, wanting to at least know the name of such a polite girl.

"The mistress calls me Kahi." She said without much emotion. I tilted my head.

"But is that your real name?" I asked curiously. She hesitated, pursing her lips.

"No, but I mustn't pester you with such superfluous information." She hurried to add. She remained silent after that, so I decided to drop it. I'd have to question Habiki about this later, though. For some reason, it didn't seem like her to treat her servants this way. Calling them by pet names and having them run around doing errands for her. It just didn't seem right.

At the second floor of the stairs, we were halted by a man in a butler uniform. He had gray hair slicked back into a short ponytail, and round glasses that caught the light just so, so that his eyes couldn't be seen.

"Good evening, my lady. Gentlemen." He greeted with a bow in a smooth voice. "Kahi, Meido, I'll take it from here." He told the maids. They hesitated.

"But the mistress gave us strict orders to -" He cut Kahi off.

"You are being given new orders. Please, resign for the night. Mistress Soyokaze has sent for me to take them the rest of the way." He said sternly. If it weren't for the glasses, I could swear he was glaring at them. Kahi and Meido exchanged nervous glances, but nodded, regardless.

"Yes, sir. I apologize, sir." Kahi said, turning around with Meido and scurrying away. I watched them curiously. Why were they acting so strange? Come to think of it, this was all very strange. Habiki showing up, inviting me over, Deidara's reluctance to let me leave alone unguarded. Not to mention this fellow in front of us. He seemed familiar somehow, but I couldn't quite place it.

Oh well. It was getting rather late. Perhaps he was right in suggested we retire for the night. "Lady Itei?" I jumped at the strangely formal title, looking up to see the man was already down the hallway, Deidara and Itachi right behind him.

"Uh, sorry. Must've dozed off..." I said, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice. I knew it was a wasted effort, but, thankfully, none of them questioned me about it. He took us to a couple doors near the end of the second floor hall.

"This shall be your room, Lady Itei. I was told Deidara will be rooming with you?" He inquired, opening the door for us. I nodded and smiled.

"Yes, that's right. Thank you...uh...?" I trailed off.

"Kashimaru, miss." He supplied. I nodded in acknowledgement, and he cracked a small smile. "Goodnight, my lady." He said as he turned away. Just as he was closing the door, I caught a glimpse behind his glasses. Hmm, those black eyes...Now I knew I'd seen them before. I just couldn't remember where...Huh.

"Are you alright, Naomi, un?" Deidara asked. I turned around to face him, but walked past him to the queen-sized plush bed with red silk and velvet sheets and pillows. I sat down on the edge, a contemplating look on my face.

"I know you've never met her before, but Habiki's acting strange. And so are her servants." I said, more to myself than anything. "Given, she's grown up being waited on her whole life. But...she's never quite been so strict with her helpers. And they were almost always girls. Come to think of it, I've never seen a male servant or butler waiting on her. That one's a first. So I wonder..." I trailed off, sighing deeply. Deidara came to sit beside me on the bed.

"What? What is it, un?" He asked. I pursed my lips as I thought, trying to formulate what was wrong myself.

"I don't know, I just...something just doesn't feel right, I guess." I muttered quietly, though he had no trouble hearing me. I turned to look at him, locking gazes with his curious eyes. I continued to think, but any sort of inkling I had vanished just then. I sighed again and shook my head, turning away. "Never mind. I can't think clearly. Maybe a good night's sleep will help." I suggested. He nodded.

"Good idea. I'm getting a bit tired myself, un." He said as he yawned hugely and stretched his arms. "Do you want to change?" He asked, his voice drawling out a bit in fatigue. I smiled softly.

"I think it would help. Let me see what she has here." I said, standing and walking to the closet. I wasn't at all surprised of the size, but I could find the nightgowns easily enough. However, unlike I expected after seeing the inside of this classic mansion, they weren't old-timey nightgowns - the kinds that covered your ankles and went to your wrists and such. Actually, what I found were more like the curtains that don't block out any sun at all. But with more lace. Lots of lace.

I groaned as I had trouble finding anything else for nightwear. Habiki!

* * *

**NOTE: From now on, Hanabira shall have an English accent. Trust me, it'll go well with what is to come :P**


	66. Chapter 66

I finally settled on a black-lace, knee-length, spaghetti-strap...thing...that at least covered my breasts. I rummaged around in the drawers of the dressers until I found suitable black underwear to match, then went into the walk-in bathroom to change. I wasn't going to lie. This was embarrassing.

I took a deep breath before walking out, seeing Deidara already lying on the bed, arms behind his head and eyes closed. But he opened his eyes when I came back in, and they immediately widened as he sat up. I realized her was only in a pair of sweatpants, and felt myself blush. I looked ridiculous, what with my stomach bulging out like it was.

I sheepishly crossed the room and sat on the bed, watching Deidara carefully as I searched for any sign of...what? Repulsion? Well, that was a bit harsh, brain.

"Naomi..." He barely got out in a whispery breath. I waited anxiously for his reaction, seeing as the only one I'd gotten so far was wide-eyes and a gaping mouth. "You look...hot." He finally said, giving up on trying to form more intelligent words. I laughed flat-out, confusing him a little.

"Maybe you're sugar-coating that just a bit, hmm?" I asked bemusedly, pulling my legs up as I began to work under the sheets.

"What do you mean, un?" He asked, seeming genuinely confused. I rolled my eyes, pulling the covers up to my chest.

"Oh, please. 'Hot' isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe me at the moment." I told him, letting out a small relieved sigh as my head hit the soft plush pillows. He snorted lightly.

"I would. I did. Still do." He said, settling under the blankets, too, keeping his eyes on me.

"But I'm fat..." I muttered, placing my hands gently on my stomach. I felt a small roll of what might've been a foot or a hand, and smiled slightly.

"You're not fat, you're pregnant. Doesn't count, un." He told me sternly, slipping his arm around me and pulling me close. "You're pregnant and you're beautiful. And you can still make lingerie look sexy, un." He said, making me giggle and blush as I wrapped my arms around him, too. He seemed a thousand times more comfortable to sleep against now, and my eyes fluttered closed.

"Thanks, Dei..." I said tiredly. I heard him mumble a half-conscious reply, but we were soon under the spell of slumber.

* * *

I woke up peacefully enough. Did a little morning stretch (careful to watch the stomach), and then spent five minutes just sitting and staring at Deidara's still sleeping face, admiring his peaceful features. Trying not to wake him, I slipped out of bed and went in search of normal clothes.

Thankfully, there were some okay outfits in the closet. I decided to take it easy today and dress in a simple stretchy T-shirt and scrubs. Seeing as Deidara was still asleep, I went on out into the hallway, apparently at the same time Itachi did.

I looked him over, and saw that he was wearing a new outfit. A simple baggy T and faded blue jeans. His hair was in its ponytail, as usual. I smiled at him.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked as he walked with me toward the stairs.

"Just fine. You?" He asked; I nodded.

"Fine." I said. We started down the stairs, in no sort of a hurry. I supposed I could start on breakfast if Habiki hasn't woken up yet. Then again, one of her servants is probably used to doing that, and I shouldn't impose. They seemed persistent to be proper last night, and I didn't want to offend them or anything, if that made any sense. Probably not, but oh well.

We arrived at the base of the stairs and I started wandering, Itachi right behind me. I guess he was doing his "guard" job, but it didn't bother me. Frankly, I was thankful for the extra set of eyes. Especially his. In a big place like this, I was bound to get lost.

Somehow, I found my way to the kitchen, and paused to admire all the furnishing. White marble floor tiles, mahogany table set, spotted granite counter-tops. And her fridge was stocked with all sorts of food, but I forced myself away from it.

There was a door in the back that lured me to it. It seemed out of place in this mansion, a bit too old for the classic look. It was large, square and wooden, and had a cast-iron doorknob and lock. I twisted the knob to find that it was unlocked, and curiously peeked inside. To my surprise, there were old stone stairs that led down and curved, a flickering light insinuating that someone might be down there. I glanced back at Itachi, only to see his eyes peering over my shoulder to look in, as well.

"What do you think about a little exploration?" I asked. He smiled slightly, and nodded for me to go ahead. I smiled and did, hearing him close the door behind us. I started down the stairs, keeping my hand on the smooth, coiling wall for...whatever reason. The flickering light got brighter, and I realized it was candlelight.

Soon, we came to an archway that led into another room. Stopping just under the arch, I looked inside, furrowing my brows at what I saw. It looked like a dungeon of sorts, but it was decorated like a study. There was a wooden desk that didn't go with the other furniture upstairs, and the items atop it certainly weren't modern. There was an ink cartridge, a feather pen, the candle, old parchment and a few scrolls with markings on them that I recognized. Ninja scrolls.

There was also a bed nailed to the wall, looking like nothing more than a raft with a blanket over it. It looked like it'd been slept in recently, though. I walked in to see another old door on the other wall, with the same design as before. I swallowed hard, tensing my hand. Instantly, Itachi grasped it, stepping forward and taking the lead.

My heart raced as he opened the door, which was also unlocked. There was a long hallway with a corner at the end, no other doors branching off. He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before leading me forward, taking slow, experimental steps.

What was all this doing under Habiki's house? It looked more like a medieval dungeon than a basement. But, as we got closer to the corner, I heard noises. Concentrating harder, it sounded like...crying. Yes, definitely crying - sobbing, even. We stopped just before the corner, listening as more voices came.

"Please, lord. I don't want to do this anymore." I had to hold a hand over my mouth to keep from gasping aloud. That was Habiki's voice! She was the one crying! What was going on?! "I brought her this far. Don't make me do this. She's my best friend!" She pleaded to whomever she'd referred to as "lord". A whispery laughter sounded in response.

"Dear child, it seems I need to remind you of your situation." My eyes widened, and my breathing hastened. Orochimaru...Orochimaru was here. He had Hanabira! He was making her do something she didn't want to!

I blinked and flinched when a face appeared in front of me. Fortunately, it was just Itachi, but the look on his face wasn't very comforting.

"Naomi, go back upstairs. Wake up Deidara. I'll be up just as soon as I learn something more." He whispered quietly, barely audible. I nodded silently, focusing on controlling my breathing as he gently nudged me back in the direction we came.

I made it to the door to the hallway, and closed it as quietly as I could. Then I turned and ran, the wind of my speed blowing out the candle as I flew past it and up the stairs. I made it to the first door, and turned the knob.

Or tried to. It was stuck now, I couldn't turn it. Actually, not stuck. Locked. Someone had locked it from the outside. I swallowed through my dry throat as I stepped back away from the door. Oh no...I was trapped down here, with him. Given, Itachi was here, too, but Orochimaru could take Habiki's hostage at any time.

I panted in panic as I made my way back down the stairs. I tried the other door, but now it was locked, too. I froze. That couldn't only mean...

I wasn't alone.

* * *

**Mwahahahahaha! Cliffhangers, gotta love 'em :P Don't worry, I'll get right to work on the next chapter :D**


	67. Chapter 67

I silenced my heavy breathing by closing my mouth, not daring to make any sudden movements, even though I knew that wasn't going to help me. Slowly, carefully, I started backwards, hoping I'd hit the wall so I could back up into a corner and keep an eye on my surroundings.

My back hit something, and I sighed in relief. But then that something moved, and I froze again. It was breathing - it was a person. The person locked in here with me. I reached out with my chakra, trying to sense if it was a ninja. Either they were masking their signature, or it was a regular human - possibly one of the servants.

For some reason, I highly doubted that.

"Looks like you've seen more than you need to." Said the person, and I immediately recognized the voice. But, without the body to attach it to, I was also able to remember who it belonged to.

Kabuto.

I swallowed hard, allowing my mouth to open because breathing through my nose was not cutting it at this point. Kabuto chuckled, and I felt a hand run up my arm, making me flinch away. He grabbed my wrist and twisted me around, so that now my chest was against the wall and he had my arm behind my back, holding tight. The panting returned, and I was thankful he wasn't pressing hard. Any closer to the wall and my stomach would be squished.

"So what to do about this...hmm..." He thought aloud, bringing his head close to my ear. "Decapitation." He whispered, making me close my eyes and try to turn away, with little success. "Impalement." He continued. "Hanging." He chuckled again at his own methods of persecution. "I could bleed you out slowly, draining the life from you and your precious little baby minute by minute. Or I could cut through your stomach with a knife, and reveal that unborn, under-developed child to the world, where it wouldn't stand a chance." He spat the last part harshly. "But I won't." He added, confusing me.

He pulled me from the wall, though he kept my arm behind my back as he guided me around the room, to the desk and then sat me in the chair. He took my other hand without any resistance and tied them behind the chair with ninja wire. If I tensed my hand the slightest bit, it would start cutting into my skin. I didn't dare move as he began to circle the middle of the room.

"No, I can't kill you. Not yet. What you're carrying is far too valuable at the moment." He said. I watched him fearfully, wondering what exactly he and his snake-loving lord wanted with my baby. He seemed to think for a moment, until he finally appeared to come to a decision. "Yes, that's it. We'll keep you here until you're ready to give birth...and then we'll take the child and finally begin our plan." He said, as if talking more to himself than to me. "Er, Lord Orochimaru's plan, I mean." He corrected himself, then snickered quietly. "Yes, Lord Orochimaru's plan. It's always his plan. I'm just the pawn that goes about his duties." He muttered. I hesitated, but decided I might as well if he's not going to kill me yet.

"Don't you ever get tired of it?" I asked, drawing his attention. I swallowed dryly again at his cold stare. "Tired of working for him, I mean." I clarified. He tilted his head to the side, as if deep in thought. After a moment, he cracked a small smile.

"No, not really. Lord Orochimaru always keeps me busy with something. I'd be tired of life without him, really." He said calmly.

"But...doesn't it make you feel like a lesser being?" I persisted. He raised a brow.

"And by that you mean...?" He waited. I took a deep breath.

"Well, you're always doing what he says, right? Always following his orders." I said, more as a statement rather than a question; he waited still. "Doesn't it get boring? Or, at the very least, don't you wish you could do something greater? Something better than what he has you doing now?" I asked, getting a little specific. He took a step towards me, and my heart pounded from fear. He stopped after that one step.

"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" He asked, ignoring my other questions. I nodded slowly. "Why?" He asked; confusing me. The look on my face must've told him that. "Why do you fear me when you possess the power to subdue even the mighty Lord Orochimaru for an amount of time?" He explained. I thought for a moment.

"Well...well, because..." I took another deep breath to steady myself. "Because I didn't know what I was doing before. I just got angry and...all this power came surging into me, I just...I just acted on my instinct, is all." I told him truthfully, not seeing any point in lying.

"And what about now? What is your instinct telling you to do now?" He asked.

"Run." I answered instantly, not even having to think about it. He looked at me warily, as if considering something.

"But would you? Would you really run if I untied you at this very minute?" He asked. These questions seemed meaningless to me, but I figured he had some point behind them. Still, they made me feel uncomfortable, as if he was getting more information out of them than he should be.

"No." I said finally. "I wouldn't be able to, for starters. The doors are locked." I noted; he nodded thoughtfully, beginning to pace again. "What do you want with my baby?" I asked, having held in the curiosity for too long. He stopped and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Your child has an unknown power, and Orochimaru wants it." He stated simply, starting up again.

"Why would Orochimaru want something he knows nothing about?" I asked in confusion. Hadn't they ever heard the saying, "curiosity killed the cat"?

"That's just it. He wants it so he can find out what it is." Kabuto said. "He's been having these odd...visions, of sorts, foretelling of a child of prophecy. In all honesty, I think he's wasting his time." He said, turning toward me again. "A human's child can't possibly hold any value to what we seek, even if conceived by a Shinobi such as that fool Deidara." I held in my scoff of anger as he continued. "Although..." He stepped toward me, getting right up in front of me and making me crane my neck to look at him. "You're not quite human anymore, are you?" He asked rhetorically, crouching down to look at me from my level. "You've gained chakra, and that can only happen for a specific reason." He theorized.

Just then, the door to the hallway opened, and three figures entered. I sighed in relief at the sight of a seemingly unharmed Itachi. Orochimaru wasn't even trying to restrain him. Actually, it seemed more like Itachi was the one containing him. But what really set my nerves to rest was a perfectly conscious and unharmed Hanabira, though she did look rather pitiful.

"Naomi...I'm so sorry..." She muttered in broken sobs, tears still running down her face.

"I'm asking the both of you to leave this house at once." Itachi said, looking at Orochimaru and Kabuto. "Although I will resort to more forceful means if necessary." He added in a warning tone. Orochimaru hissed, but joined Kabuto at the other door.

"This won't be the last you see of me. I will get that girl's child if it's the last thing I do." The snake threatened before unlocking the door and storming up the stairs with his faithful servant on his heels. Itachi went right on untying my confining binds, and I stood, rubbing my wrists.

"Why isn't he already dead?" I asked distastefully, looking off in the direction the two went.

"I couldn't kill him." Itachi said, as if the answer was obvious.

"Why not?" I asked, understanding that it was more than not being able to kill him.

"He threatened to kill Sasuke." He said, again simply. I tilted my head to the side.

"Tell me what all that's about, anyway." I said, gaining his partial attention. "I always thought you wanted Sasuke dead. Is it because you want to kill him yourself?" I asked questioningly. He whirled to face me.

"Of course not!" He practically yelled, making me flinch. He sighed and lowered his volume. "That's the last thing I want." He muttered. I furrowed my brows, waiting. "Look, now's not the time to discuss this. We have to warn the others." He said, walking past me to get up the stairs. I just shook my head and turned to Habiki.

"Are you okay?" I asked; she nodded silently. I put a comforting hand on her shoulder and began to lead her shaking figure up the stairs. Whatever Orochimaru had put her through was not up for conversation at the moment.

We met Itachi in the kitchen above, where he and Deidara were talking quietly. When the blonde bomber saw me, he rushed over and enveloped me in his arms, yanking me away from Habiki's side.

"You stay the hell away from her, un! You've caused us enough trouble!" He shouted, hateful acid dripping from his words. I pushed on his chest and forced him to let go, re-fixating my shirt once I was free.

"What the hell is the matter with you? She didn't have a choice, alright?!" I yelled at him, returning to Habiki's side and putting an arm around her shoulders. "It's not like she could just defy Orochimaru. She's only human, Deidara!" I exclaimed, glaring at his shocked face.

"She was just going to hand you over to him, un! Just like that!" He shouted back. I growled and got up in his face.

"What other choice did she have, Deidara? Tell me! If you were human, what would you have done?" I asked angrily. "Go on, tell me!" Now I was getting fed up. How could he act like this? Wasn't it obvious that she was just scared?

"I would have done all that was in my power to keep you safe, un." He said, his voice lowering in volume, making me furrow my brows at him a little. "Whether as a friend or a lover, I would put my life on the line to protect you. I'd be damned if I did anything less, un." He said, looking straight into my eyes. My anger wasn't quite ready to simmer down yet.

"Deidara, think! Think like a human would, just once, if never again. You would never have learned to suppress your emotions, to lay your life on the line." I told him. "All you would know was self-preservation, anything to keep yourself alive, despite the cost. No matter how much you try to deny it, it's true." I took a small breath. "I would know." I muttered. He took a step forward, but I backed away from him.

"What do you mean, un?" He asked quietly. My breath was shaky now - I couldn't steady it. I just allowed my words to come out sounding odd and strangled.

"When I was younger...when my parents died..." I swallowed a hard lump in my throat, though it didn't help in the slightest. "I let it happen." I finally managed out, dreading the silence that ensued. I'd never told anyone about this, and I was still hesitant to now. But I forced myself to continue. It was about time everyone knew the truth, anyway. "The murderer, he had a gun. He threatened to...to kill me, along with my parents. They told me to run." I bit my lip, squeezing my eyes tightly shut to hold back the tears. "I had a gun, too.

"It was in my back pocket, a small little thing. Like a miniature pistol, that only held one bullet. But one bullet was enough!" I said, choking up on my sobs. "I could have reached for it, I could have killed him! But I was scared, not only for my parents. But for myself. I was afraid that I was going to die. And not even for the fact that my parents might have to go on without me. Just for the simple fact that I would no longer be alive in this world, and that alone nearly scared me to death.

"So, instead of shooting, I ran away. I ran from the house, and heard his gun go off." I pressed my lips together. "Two shots. And they were both dead." Suddenly, I felt as if I couldn't stand anymore, and my legs faltered beneath me. Luckily, Deidara was there to catch me, gently lowering me to the ground as he sat with me, pulling me onto his lap. I curled into him, clinging desperately to his shirt as the sobs from my horrid past racked through my body. He rubbed my back soothingly, whispering calming things into my ear, though it did little to help. I was a sobbing mess.

"My lady?" That was the Scottish voice of Kihai, though I couldn't bring myself to look at her.

"Fetch a box of tissues, will you, darling?" Habiki's voice asked kindly, much more like her old self.

"Right away, mistress." Kihai said as her footsteps padded off in the other direction. I simply cried and cried and cried, reliving the painful memories and dreading the ones I was sure to make, what with the new terrors awaiting me. And now I'd gone and dragged Habiki into this mess. It was bad enough I'd endangered Deidara and the others, and then there was Yasmine and Rick. Where was Samantha right now? Was she okay? And what about Krystal? I was even worried about Jacob, at the moment. Because of me, everyone I knew and loved was in danger.

All because of my curiosity. Who knows? Maybe the saying would still hold true. My curiosity was sure working diligently on killing me right now.


	68. Chapter 68

**Okay, like, I am so, so sorry. Like, you don't know how sorry I am. I totally spaced out on this story for, like, ever and didn't know what to write! Fortunately, with the help of (one) of my number one readers for this story (Lady of Epic and Awesomeness), I'm back!**

**So, without further ado (because I've kept you all waiting long enough), READ!**

* * *

It wasn't long before the rest of the Akatsuki showed up at Habiki's mansion, much to what I figured would be her distaste, if she had it in her to show it. But, despite her dislike towards them, she offered them the hospitality she would to anyone else. Well, she's at least accepted that they're not the bad guys. Not here, anyway.

We lounged in her luxurious living room, although it was obvious everyone was tense. I still didn't know what Itachi had said to Orochimaru to just make him leave like that, but I wasn't going to question him about it. Whatever he said worked, so I didn't see any problem with that.

But, I did have a problem with Habiki moping around like she was. I didn't want her to feel bad about doing what she did. She had no other choice but death, and I could understand what she'd gone through. She had to make a decision: life or death. Anyone would have done the same.

I didn't get a chance to talk to her about it, though. She disappeared upstairs with a hard frown. I sighed and went into the kitchen, knowing she'd rather be left alone right now if she didn't want to talk. I found Kahi and Meido doing the dishes and offered the help them out. They seemed much more cheerful now that their old mistress was back to her old self. Sorta.

_*Habiki's POV*_

I broke down as soon as I locked the door to my room. The tears came hard and fast and I had no chance of stopping them as I collapsed on my bed. I curled my legs up to my chest and hugged them in the fatal position, letting my consciousness do terrible things to my mind.

Why had I betrayed her like that? Why did I let Orochimaru overpower me? How could I have used our friendship to lure her to what could have been her death? I was a horrible, horrible person and I deserved to die. Naomi was too forgiving and trusting. Hell, she'd fallen for the Akatsuki! You just don't do that!

I mean, they've been acting strangle out of character, not killing us and stuff, but that didn't change who they were. The only one I held any respect for was Itachi, although Naomi wouldn't understand why yet. After all, she hasn't seen the episode where Itachi's master plan is revealed. Tcht, episode. It was still rather difficult to believe that these were, in fact, anime characters come to life. I wondered how the anime would work without them, but my thoughts on the matter didn't last long. Guilt fought hard to consume me, and met with little to no resistance.

I jumped at the soft knock on the door, sitting up and wiping furiously at my eyes. Oh, great, now my makeup was ruined. Might as well take it all off, then. "Come in." I said as I stood, making my way to the bathroom and sufficiently hiding my face from whoever's view.

"Are you alright? I heard crying." I paused for just a second when I recognized Itachi's voice, but continued on nonetheless.

"Yes, I'm just fine. Who wouldn't be, after betraying their best friend and succumbing to an evil ninja?" I said sarcastically, not in a humorous way.

"Look, I understand why you made your decision. It's a normal, human thing to do. Don't patronize yourself over it." He said, obviously trying to be comforting. I scoffed lightly as I wiped away the remnants of my makeup with a wet cloth.

"Too late." I muttered, knowing full well he could hear. After clearing my face, I returned to my room to find that he was still there. I just looked at him for a moment, and he looked back. I'd always noticed his striking resemblance to Sasuke. If not for the "winkles" that is. Same dull, nearly emotionless eyes, same body structure. The hair threw me off a bit, but regardless. That was the only thing I didn't like about the younger Uchiha - his duckbutt hair. But the way Itachi had his styled was actually quite fashionable. Easy, conservative, simple. Unlike how most things have been going in my life.

I was mentally jolted to realize that...I found Itachi attractive. Itachi Uchiha, murderer of the Uchiha clan (despite his reasons), member of the Akatsuki. Yes, he, dare I say, was attractive. And greatly so, I might add. For some reason, this didn't disgust me in any way. I didn't think it was bad to admire a guy's looks. Then again, I was just standing there in front of him, no makeup whatsoever, my eyes probably still puffy and my face red from all that scrubbing.

I probably looked like an idiot to him.

_*Itachi's POV*_

I couldn't imagine anything more beautiful. She looked...normal. No makeup, messy hair, slightly reddened face and puffy eyes from crying. A normal teenage girl who'd just barely recovered from a traumatizing event that could have scarred her mind forever.

A strong teenage girl. Able to move on, no matter to how small a degree, and get on with her life. Or, at least she was strong enough to put the show on for someone else. The fact that she cared enough to spare me her tears was...incredibly mystifying.

I didn't know what I was doing until I felt it - her hot breath brushing against my skin, our faces inches apart. My hand cupped her cheek, and she looked up at me with widened, shocked eyes. Those eyes...no matter how strange a colour, were completely normal, and oh so alluring.

I leaned in before my right mind returned. I didn't regret it, not one bit. The hard slap on the face I received once we broke apart for air was worth it.

And so was the kiss she returned.


	69. Chapter 69

**Do you know how proud I am of this? Total accident: Smut Chapter 69 Like, how does that even happen? I don't just get that lucky.**

**Anyway, enough of me, and onto Lady of Epic and Awesomeness.**

**You have stuck with this story since, like, forever, and have given me awesome new ideas. Then again, the job description goes with the name, so what did I expect? I was totally siked about Hanabira, and even though I kind of fucked up her character, like, a lot, I still hope she'll do good in the story. I don't know where it would have gone without her, so thanks to you, you've pretty saved this story from being discontinued. I really do appreciate your dedication and I'm glad to have "met" you.**

**And thanks to all my other reviewers, too! I.E: Rappy yo Yo, Ren-Bot, DeidarasLoverCheese, austin uchiha, demonicpet1, and GoldenKitty! You all have been great reviewers and I'm surprised I have not gotten any flames on this story yet. Well, now I've jinxed it, but oh well :P**

**So, to wrap this all up: THANK YOU! I plan on writing the final chapters soon, and expect to reach at least 100. I would be really pissed off if I ended it at 99...jeez, that would bother me. Anyway! Sorry to keep you waiting! Just know that I love you all!**

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_*Itachi's POV*_

We found ourselves stumbling to her bed, tripping and winding up with her falling on top of me, straddling my waist. I lightly gripped her hips with my hands, engaging in another passionate kiss. I didn't know what came over me, but I let my body take over as we moved to feel each other, every part of each other, not leaving anything untouched.

It didn't take long to remove our clothes and toss them on the floor, quickly being forgotten as we crawled atop the bed, with me over her this time. She looked at me, her eyes glazed over with lust that matched my own. My hand slid from her cheek to fondle her breast, loving the pleasured moan I received from the action. I ran my finger over her pert nipple, continuing in circular motions as I lowered my mouth to take in the other, giving each equal attention and making her squirm beneath me.

My free hand slid down to caress the overly sensitive spot between her legs, making her let out a cry of pleasure as I rubbed my finger over her clit. I silenced her with another chaste kiss, not particularly wanting the others thinking something was wrong and barging in.

I slipped a finger inside of her hole, surprised to feel how tight she was. "Are you a virgin?" I asked, slipping another finger in as she continued to moan quietly.

"No...but it's been a while." She said, panting as she bucked her hips against my hand. I smirked and continued the kiss, adding another finger. Better to be prepared, in either case.

I removed my fingers when she began to get restless, clearly doing everything she could to hurry me up. I smiled at her eagerness and gazed into her eyes, positioning my hardened length at her entrance. She gave me one small nod, and that was all I needed. I slowly entered the head in, already dripping with pre-cum. She bit her lip and whimpered slightly, although I wasn't sure what for. She was quick to let me know, though.  
"Go faster, would you? Don't tease me." She said, pouting slightly as she tried to glare. I chuckle a little and nodded.

"Fine, but just remember, you asked for it." I told her tauntingly before ramming into her. I caught her lips with my own before her scream of ecstasy could escape, swallowing the sound in my mouth as our tongues swirled together in a lustful dance. I gained a steady rhythm as I pounded into her, shaking the entire bed with force.

Her back arched into me as I wrapped an arm around his torso, holding her close to me as I sheathed myself inside her over and over again, nearly losing myself at how tight she was. But she seemed to enjoy it, regardless, so was relentless in my thrusts.

I laid back and pulled her on top of me. She caught on quick and straightened herself, beginning to bounce up and down. My cock pumped ever deeper inside of her, becoming more and more sensitive as I neared my climax.

But I could hold out longer, oh yes. I changed our position yet again, flipping her over so she supported herself on her forearms, chest bent low as I rammed into her from behind. She muffled her sounds in the pillows, though I had no trouble hearing the wondrous noises.

I clenched my teeth as I felt the edge getting ever nearer. Judging from the increase of moans, I could tell she was close herself. With one final, muffled scream of my name, she came, and I felt her juices surround my cock, dripping down her thighs as I continued. Just a little bit longer...

I groaned as I came, shooting my load deep inside her as she cried out in euphoria once again. I breathed heavily as I pulled out of her, collapsing on the bed by her side. She gazed at me with half lidded eyes, her mouth slightly parted as she, too, fought to regain her breath. She was still the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I wondered how I hadn't realized it until now.

I gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear, making her smile slightly.

"I used to hate you, you know." She said, matter-of-factly. I gave a small chuckle in response.

"And now?" I asked, genuinely curious. She seemed to think it over.

"Well, I don't hate you, but..." She trailed off, and I nodded slightly in understanding.

She didn't know if she loved me yet.


	70. Chapter 70

_*Naomi's POV*_

At some point, I just started making lunch with the girls. Due to the increased number of male occupants in the dwelling, we decided about twenty sandwiches would do. I talked to them while we worked, and finally got to know a little about them.

Kahi's family sailed here across the seas in search of good-paying work. As it turns out, every girl in her family has worked for Hanabira's family. There were never any complaints, and the servants were always cheerful, as I remembered.

And Meido, bless her heart, was adopted by Hanabira's great grandmother, and has worked for them ever since. She'd been a homeless orphan at the time, and I could understand the compassion the Soyokazes had for her. After all, they had always been understanding people, never turning away from a soul in need. That was just one of the many reasons I enjoyed Habiki's family. It was so rare to find such kind people like that back then, and not much has changed now.

They still refused to tell me their names, though, and always said, "That's what the mistress calls us," as if to avoid the question entirely. I tried not to think too much about it, and busied myself with the sandwiches.

Once we were done, we called the boys in, and they thanked us as they began to chow down. I decided to go with a simple apple, finding that I really wasn't hungry at the moment. I walked out of the kitchen, heading for the living room, but accidentally bumped into someone. I glanced up, a string of apologies falling out of my mouth. Then I noticed it was Itachi and smirked.

"Oh, never mind, it's just you." I said teasingly as I walked past him. But I stopped when I saw Hanabira just a few feet behind. Given, she looked better - a lot better, actually - but I was still worried nonetheless. "How are you feeling?" I asked gingerly. She gave me a smile, a real smile, much more like herself now.

"I'm just fine, Naomi. I am still terribly sorry, though. I sincerely hope you can forgive me." She said, her golden eyes pleading. I smiled back and spread my arms as I walked to her, encasing her in a death-grip hug.

"Of course I forgive you, silly! Best friends for like, remember?" I reminded her as we pulled away. As if to prove my point, I reached into my pants pocket, not realizing what was in there until I pulled it out. The locket of our past - the friendship that would never die. She gasped lightly as she caught sight of it, and immediately reached for something around her neck.

She pulled the charm necklace out from under her shirt, revealing an identical locket. Except, when we opened them up, the pictures of each other were on different sides. We'd done this so we wouldn't get mixed up with each other's if we ever lost them. Seeing as how we were never around each other for a long while after that, it seemed more like a traditional kind of thing

"I can't believe you still have that." She said in a whispery, awed voice. I smiled and hugged her tightly again.

"Of course I kept it. And I'm glad you kept yours, too." I said quietly as she locked her arms around me. It seemed like we were reuniting again for the first time, as if the moments she arrived in front of my house hadn't existed. No, this was different. She was completely herself this time, and there was no in in Hell or Heaven that I was letting her fall into Orochimaru's evil clutches ever again. I'd probably kill myself if I let anything happen to her now.

Speaking of killing myself, it felt like just that was happening as a horrible pain surged through my stomach, causing me to break away from Habiki and gasp. Her eyes went wide with worry, and Itachi was there in a second to steady me before I lost my balance. I groaned in pain, holding a hand to my swollen stomach, hoping to any god that might be listening that the baby was alright.

But, of course he was alright. I wasn't that stupid. I was having what is commonly known as: contractions. Oh joy.

Itachi helped me to a seat in the living room, the others filing in quickly from the kitchen. Deidara was by my side in a second, holding my hand and murmuring things in my ear that I supposed were meant to calm me down.

"I feel like my fucking stomach is being run over by a heard of goddamn pigs and you want me to calm down?!" I yelled, the words slipping from my mouth before I could stop them. I vaguely noticed Hidan chuckling in the background, and Kakuzu hitting him upside the head, and then Sasori and Pein were talking quietly.

I decided to ignore them, frankly more focused on the raging pain pulling and tugging and stretching and mutilating my innards. However, it did die down sooner than I would have thought, although I felt utterly relieved. I breathed heavily, not realizing how hard I was latching onto Deidara's hand. I glanced down to see it was turning blue, and immediately let go.

"Sorry." I breathed out, resting my head on a pillow. He chuckled and stroked my face.

"No harm done. I was thinking about getting braces for this hand, anyway, un." He said, wiggling his fingers and flicking out his palm-tongue teasingly. I laughed and pushed it away jokingly, but wound up interlocking my fingers with his. We smiled lovingly at each other, tuning out the rest of the world.

Had I ever stopped to think how lucky I was to have him? Deidara, no last name that I know of, missing ninja from Iwagakure, terrorist bomber of the Akatsuki. Yes, I was in love with this happy-go-lucky blonde, and I was damn proud of it, too. I wondered, for a moment, if he had anything to be proud of me for...

Then the doorbell rang, and we all froze, even Habiki. None of us had any idea as to who that could be. Except for Sasori, apparently, for he went to answer it immediately. Since we couldn't see the entrance behind the wall, we simply waited until he reappeared in our sight, along with -

"Samantha!" I practically squealed. She held her hands to her mouth to try and muffle a gasp as she caught sight of how fat I was. Regardless, she ran to me, nearly knocking Deidara off his feet, and latched onto me like her life depended on it.

"I never thought...I mean, it happened so quickly...oh my god, are you okay? I heard about what happened!" She said worriedly, crouching beside me in Deidara's place. Then she happened to glance around, mouth agape in awe. "Wow, this place is amazing. Whose is it?" She asked curiously. I suppressed my laughter as I pointed to a very shocked Hanabira. Samantha turned and her jaw hit the floor. "Oh my god, you're beautiful!" She commented. I couldn't hold it in anymore; I burst out laughing. "What's so funny? Are you hurt? Did you hit your head or something?" She asked, trying to check every inch of my body for injury. I grabbed her wrists and held them in place.

"I. Am. Fine." I told her slowly, and she sighed in relief as I let go of her hands. "Now, would you mind telling me why you're here? Or how you got here, that would be nice, too." I said, making her smile again.

"Well, Sasori called me, duh!" She said, as if it was obvious. All eyes turned to the redhead, and he glanced away.

"I remembered you saying something about a close friend of yours that could help." He said defensively. I smiled at him.

"So you do care. Good to know." I said teasingly, though he just rolled his eyes. If I didn't know any better, and I didn't, I could swear just a hint of blush tinted his cheeks. But I disregarded it, thinking it better not to patronize the poor puppet.

"So, I'm Samantha Shell, Naomi's friend. And you are?" Samantha said as she stood, offering her hand to Habiki. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she took it.

"Hanabira Soyokaze, Naomi's _best_ friend. Nice to meet you." She replied, stressing the adjective. I mentally face-palmed, just now realizing that this meeting might've been better off prolonged. For, like, ever.

"Really, best friend, huh? And, uh...where have you been for the past, what? Seven years?" Samantha asked with a shrug, an overly sweet smile on her face. Habiki showed her teeth as she smiled, though it looked more like a feral grin to me.

"Sorry, I was busy being an orphan with a nanny that's overly protective." She said, as if it was a small detail. "And, you know. Having a fashion sense." She said as she glanced down distastefully at Samantha's outfit - a pink Hello Kitty shirt with a black and gray "Night Before Halloween" jacket, some ripped jeans with black leopard prints near the waist, and her regular red and white converse shoes. Not to mention her dyed-red hair done up in two buns on her head. Somehow, I never felt ashamed being out in public with her. Huh.

"Listen, I hate to sound rude, but I don't think you have room to talk. At least I don't look like a Glammer Doll." Sam retorted. I groaned and stood up, getting in between them.

"Okay, obviously, this hasn't gotten off at a good start. How about we try this again?" I suggested, turning to Hanabira. "Habiki, this is Samantha, my best friend." I continued before she could start again, turning to Samantha. "Sam, this is Hanabira, my best friend. Happy now?" I asked rhetorically as I sat back down. They both sighed and took seats on either side of me.

"Sorry, guess we got a little carried away." Habiki said with an apologetic smile.

"Yeah, guess I just wasn't expecting...her." Sam said.

"What? Were you expecting someone like...you?" Habiki asked, criticism clear in her voice. Sam narrowed her eyes at her from around me.

"No, just not someone who wears a thousand pounds of makeup and hair products." She shot back.

"I'm not even wearing makeup!" Habiki shouted back in defense. I sighed as they continued to squabble, standing and walking to the kitchen with a few of the guys on my back (such as: Deidara, Hidan, Kakuzu, Kisame, Sasori and Pein). I guessed the others stayed back to make sure those two didn't rip each other's throats out.

"Hidan, why don't you go calm your girlfriend down?" Kisame suggested, chuckling a little as he got a disgusted look on his face.

"She's not my fucking girlfriend! And there is no way I'm getting in the middle of fucking a chick fight. That's Blondie's job." The Jashinist replied, scavenging a beer from the fridge. Sigh, Habiki needed to not keep that kind of stuff here. I mean, she wasn't an alcoholic, but she was still under-aged.

I say as I remember my night of conception.


	71. Chapter 71

Eventually, we came up with the arrangement of keeping Sam and Habiki on different sides of the room. Kisame mused it would be safer to keep them on different sides of the house, but that only earned him a slap to his still slightly throbbing shoulder. Still, I was deemed bed-ridden for most of the day, much to my disapproval, since Deidara didn't want to chance me falling down stairs or something when another contraction occurred. I'd silently noted to myself that I had to walk up the stairs to get to my bed in the first place.

Sam and Habiki checked up on me frequently, but never at the same time. Sigh, would they ever learn to get along? Oh well, at least they were tolerating having the same best friend. Still, during one of Hanabira's visits, a thought came to mind.

"Hey Habiki, where's your brother, Tsuriyure?" I asked, just now remembering that I hadn't seen him after all the time I'd spent here. Tsuriyure was her younger twin brother (and by younger, I mean by, like, a minute or something). I recalled him being real quiet and reserved back in the days I practically lived with Hanabira. But, he and I were good friends, too, so I naturally wondered where he'd gone.

"Oh, he went out on a school field trip to Italy before I left." Habiki explained in short, as if it was nothing. My eyes widened a little.

"His school took him to Italy? Isn't that, like, on the other side of the planet or something?" I asked, bewildered that their nanny had even allowed him to go that far away. Hanabira did mention that she was over-protective. Maybe they trusted him, and that didn't sound like a foreign idea. Tsuriyure was always a good kid.

"Well yes, but it's not like he can't take care of himself. Besides, he the trip only lasts a couple of days." Habiki replied. Then she furrowed her brows. "Come to think of it, he should be back by now. Oh! I didn't tell him I'd be leaving!" She suddenly shot up and started dialing a number on her Iphone. I watched with slight amusement at her worry. Ah, the bonds of family prevail.

"Yes, this is Hanabira Soyokaze, I'm asking to be directed to the Greenview High field trip at the western-most airport in Virginia." She said into the phone once someone had answered; must've been an operator. She waited a moment until she was directed as asked. "Hi, I'm calling about my brother, Tsuriyure Soyokaze. This is Hanabira." She repeated her name for what I guessed was one of the hosts of the trip. Another pause, and then she squealed in delight. "Tsuri! I'm so glad you're okay! But listen, I need to tell you that I've packed up and gone to Tennessee...Yes, I realize this is farm country...Oh, shut up! You better not say those kinds of things when you get here!" She snapped at whatever he'd said. Ouch, that hurt. "Yeah, that's right. You're getting Fernando to drive you here as soon as you get home." She glanced at me then, holding the phone slightly away from her face. "He hired a Spanish butler, for God knows what reason." She said quietly before turning back to the phone. "Why? Because Naomi's here, that's why!" Another pause, and a huge grin appeared on her makeup-less face. "I know! Now hurry up and get home so you can hurry up and get here!" She ordered before ending the call and jumping back on the bed with me, grinning like an idiot as she propped her elbows up and rested her head on her interlocked fingers. "Tsuriyure's excited to see you again." She said, as if I hadn't picked that up already.

Just then, a knock came on the door, causing us both to glance up. "Okay, I believe it's my turn now." Samantha's annoyed voice said on the other side. I laughed and rolled my eyes at her stubbornness. As if she couldn't open the door and walk in herself, because then she'd have to look at Habiki.

"Alright, well, I'll go get things ready for when baby bro gets here." Habiki said, rolling off the bed as she approached the door, which was constantly being knocked on with a rhythmic beat. "Yeah, alright already! I'm going!" She said annoyedly, flinging the door open. But no one was there, and she looked both ways before turning back with a smirk. "Told ya she was scared of me." She said proudly before walking out, leaving the door open.

Samantha jumped down from above, making childish imitations of Habiki's sentence as she kicked the door closed behind her. Although her method of escaping eye-contact didn't surprise me, I was still curious about something.

"How did you get up there, and how did you do it so quickly?" I asked as she plopped down beside me. She let out a long sigh, nearly draining her entire lungs before she answered.

"There's something between the wall and the ceiling just above the door's arch. I used the arch and the wall to climb up and grab hold so I could bang on the door with my foot and be safely out of sight when she came out." She explained, turning her head to look at me. "I heard something about a baby bro?" She asked, raising a brow. I chuckled a little.

"Well, Habiki has a twin brother that was born exactly one minute after her. She used to hold that over him all the time, and apparently still does." I told her; she nodded in understanding. "Anyway, she called him and told him to make sure he's driven here as soon as he gets back from Italy." She raised her brow again.

"Italy?" She inquired, and I shook my head.

"Long story. Well, not really. Well, kind of. Well -" She cut me off.

"I get it." She said, laughing a little as she got the reference of my rambling. "So...is he cute?" She asked suddenly, making me deadpan as I looked at her. Then we both burst out into laughter at the same time.

"I haven't seen him since we were seven, so I don't know, but he strongly resembled what I used to call Habiki's 'man-clone'." I told her, still laughing. Our sounds of humor quieted down when another knock came on the door, though. It opened to reveal Sasori, of all people. And...he was carrying a tray of food. Oh great, how did I know where this was going?

"The brat said she needed to be alone for this." The redhead said, furrowing his brows at his own words, which was understandable. Still, Sam sighed as she stood up.

"Well, that just blows. I only got, like, two minutes in here while she -" I cut her off.

"Oh, quit your complaining. Just leave so you don't have to bore yourself watching me eat." I told her sarcastically. She stuck her tongue out and made her way to the door, Sasori stepping aside so she could leave.

He proceeded to close the door behind her and approached the bed. I scooted over a little so he could sit himself and the tray down. A moment of silence passed, me staring at him while he stared at the tray. Then, slowly, cautiously, he reached for the spoon beside the soup bowl, and I snorted.

"I can do it myself, Sasori." I reassured him. He immediately stood and threw his hands up.

"Okay, thank goodness." He said in relief, taking a step away from the bed. I chuckled and put the tray on my lap, sipping at the soup. Oh yay! Chicken noodle soup was my favourite! I didn't count ramen as soup, so it still held true. Although I couldn't understand why Sasori just continued to stand there, as if he wasn't sure what to do.

"Do you have anything to do today?" I asked, forgetting to swallow and letting some of the broth fall back into the bowl. I glared down at it with furrowed brows, mad at myself for doing that.

"No, not particularly. Why?" Sasori asked, thankfully ignoring my little blunder. I looked back up as I wiped my mouth with the napkin.

"Oh, I don't know. You just seemed bored. Is there something you'd like to do?" I asked, trying to get inside that wooden head of his. He'd always been complicated, and I was only risking my life talking to him. On the side of being difficult to understand, he was very impatient. And by impatient, I mean waste-his-time-talking-and-get-your-head-cut-off impatient.

"Well, what is there to do? There aren't any ninja in this world aside from you, so we can't busy ourselves with missions. Half the town is destroyed and we risk breaking an ankle trying to walk on the road. Orochimaru, Kabuto and Sasuke are out there wandering about, probably causing mayhem with every step, and the only safe place seems to be here with you. For some reason, I get the feeling occupying my boredom is of less concern than events of late." He said, his voice remaining steady the whole time. I had to use my hand to close my mouth and swallow this time.

"Well, you could always _not_ walk on the road and bare through getting your shoes a little dirty by walking on the grass. Orochimaru, Kabuto and Sasuke aren't here, so we don't have to worry about them at the current moment. And, trust me when I say this, I'm absolutely positive I am not the safest person to be around after enduring the 'events of late'." I said, my glare intensifying through my contradiction. He just blinked at me, then a rare smile appeared lightly on his face.

"I like you." He said simply. Just then, the door opened, and Deidara staggered to a stop when he saw Sasori was already in here. Then he narrowed his eyes and took the redhead by his shoulders, promptly moving him out of his way before walking over to me and sitting down on the side of the bed.

"No, Sasori." Was all he said without looking at either of us. The puppet threw his hands up in defeat and stomped out of the room, not even bothering to close the door on his way out. I giggled as I finished the soup and sipped at the tea.

"What was that about?" I asked, clearly amused by his obvious jealousy of me spending any amount of time alone in a room with another guy that wasn't him. He snorted and twisted around on the bed, resting his chin on his fists, which were propped up by his elbows.

"I don't know what you're talking about, un." He said sarcastically, making me chuckle again as I finished the meal completely.

"Right. So what's going on downstairs? I haven't really been kept up to date, seeing as someone won't let me walk on my own, much less go downstairs." I said, eyeing him pointedly as he cracked a smile.

"Nothing much, really. Samantha and Hanabira are keeping at a distance, un. Itachi's spending a lot of time with Hanabira. Hidan's arguing with Kakuzu while Pein is trying to get the latter to remove his threads from Hidan's neck, un. Kisame's soaking in Hanabira's hot-tub. Tobi's doing Kami-knows-what. And, well. The norm, un." He told me, and I nodded along with his words. Yup, pretty much sounded normal. Except...

"Itachi's with Habiki? Why?" I asked, furrowing my brows. I'd have thought he'd be trying to get as far away from us as possible. Especially Tobi. Unless Tobi was everywhere Habiki wasn't, which would in turn drive him to be around her 24/7. Either way, it was still conspicuous.

"Who knows? Maybe he's got the hots for her, un." He said with a wink. I laughed and rolled my eyes, gently pushing on his face as he rolled over limply.

"Get real. Besides, even if he did like her, she despises each and every one of you." I reminded him. He just looked at me upside-down, making me smile again. The I yawned hugely, stretching my arms and everything. Deidara took his cue to remove the tray from my lap, setting it on the bedside table before crawling into bed next to me as we both got settled. I wondered how late it really was, and whether or not I'd be able to get any sleep.

But that dilemma was quickly decided when the blonde pulled me to his chest, and I snuggled into his warmth. He began to stroke my hair in soft, rhythmic patterns. I found it easier to drift off than I thought, but it would indeed be a restless night, as I soon came to realize.


	72. Chapter 72

_ It was like I couldn't get away from him. Not in reality, not in my mind, not in my sleep. He was always there, lurking about and just waiting for the right time to attack my subconscious with his nightmarish illusions. It was maddening, to always fall victim to him in the end. Never giving up struggle, but always finding it useless to try and escape._

_ "That's right girl, come. Come to me." His whispery voice beckoned from the shadows. The only thing remotely positive about these visions was Deiomi. Yes, definitely a girl, always a girl. Always growing, too. Last time, she'd been merely an infant in my arms. Now she was a toddler, grasping my hand with amazing strength for such a petite girl. Except her appearance kept changing._

_ She always had blonde hair, but in different styles, and differently coloured eyes each time. Sometimes a round, chubby face. And sometimes her face was so thin I feared she might have developed anorexia at such a young age. But her smile remained, proud and clear whenever she looked into my eyes._

_ And, in this particular vision, her eyes matched mine. A dull blue that was nothing compared to the sea on my face. But on hers, it was the sea and then some. The raging ocean, the vast sky, outer space beyond that of which I'd known all my life. In her eyes, it was like I could see the universe itself, glittering back at me within her beautiful little orbs._

_ But those orbs were directed at Orochimaru now. He held out his pale white hand, a sickening smile stretching his grotesque features. He didn't call to me anymore. After all, what use was I to him after my baby girl was born? All he wanted was her power, to exploit it in any way he could. But I was not letting him take her away from me. She, and Deidara, were part of my family, precious people I'd never dream of letting go._

_ Not on my own accord, anyway. But with Orochimaru tainting my mind, I'd seen things that made me want to shrivel up and die already. All in this single session, flashes of the visions he injected me with, I'd witnessed Deidara get impaled by a sword, beheaded by a giant serpent, roasted alive by hungry flames that aimed to destroy anything and everything in their path. Deidara had been taken from me so many times I couldn't count, and I wouldn't want to._

_ And yet, Deiomi held firm by my side, bearing through the pain of watching her very own daddy killed in a million different ways. I hated for her to see any of it, but we shared the pain. The pain that didn't really exist. She help me to convince myself that none of it was real. That when I woke up in the morning, Deidara would still be there, sleeping soundly by my side, perfectly unharmed._

_ "You cannot resist me forever, girl. I will have you. Even if I have to kill you first to get it!" Orochimaru declared, flicking his tongue out as if for emphasis. I gritted my teeth and stepped forward, daring to move for the first time since I'd fallen asleep. I pushed Deiomi securely behind me as I face the Snake Sannin head-on._

_ "I'll defy you until the day I die! You'll never have any of us because my will is just that strong. And, listen closely, Orochimaru, because what I am about to tell you is nothing but the truth." I growled, earning an amused snigger from him, but I ignored it as I went on. "I will protect my family with my very life. Across deserts, beyond the solar system, you name it. Wherever you go, seeking to destroy us, I'll be there. I'll be there to stop you!"_

_ It was as if my words finally repelled him, and his raspy cry of agony resonated in my ears as his image disappeared._

And, with his absence, I woke up, the cry taking form in my own throat as I shot bolt-upright in bed. It was that feeling in my stomach again - the contractions. Deidara awoke immediately, gripping my hand firmly as he quickly assessed the situation. Thankfully, he'd think the scream was because of the contraction, and not question me about my restless slumber.

Eventually, it passed, and I was left breathing hard and ragged as Deidara soothingly rubbed my back. It wasn't a moment later that others started pouring in through the door. Habiki first, then Sam, Itachi, Hidan, Kakuzu, Kisame, etc. The room was crowded with mostly adults in their pajamas.

"Could you not come in here all at once every time she has a contraction, un?" Deidara asked irritably, probably cranky from being woken up, although he was taking his anger out on the others.

"Sorry, we thought it was something important." Hidan said through a yawn, already turning to walk out.

"Hey!" I complained at his implied insult, but he just laughed as he left, most others following suit. That only left Habiki, Sam and Itachi. And they gently sat by my bed.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked tiredly, trying to blink through her still sleep-crusted eyes. I gave her a small smile.

"Yeah, it's gone now. No need to worry." I assured her, as well as the others. Habiki sighed in relief and gave my free hand a squeeze as she stood.

"Alright. If you need anything, let us know. Or just call for Kahi or Meido." She said, taking Itachi's hand as they left. Being as tired as I was, I completely ignored it, as did the others. Samantha gave another yawn and muttered something incoherent as she stood to leave, although I figured it settled along the lines of what Habiki said.

"I'm gonna go back to sleep now, 'kay, un?" Deidara said, not waiting for an answer as he lay back down. I smiled and leaned down to kiss his head, knowing full well he was already asleep. I settled in against him again, thinking the nightmares were over for tonight.

Boy was I wrong.

_"It's time..."_


	73. Chapter 73

***Dramatic trumpet announcement noise* It's here! At last! At long, long last!**

***Clears throat* Okay, I'm done singing horribly. But I'm still excited! Within this chapter, you will read the news we've all been waiting for. The climax of the story, the top of the plot, the main event! And it's -**

**Well, you'll just have to read to find out, won't you?**

* * *

Not a moment had passed before I woke up screaming again. It wasn't the scream of a nightmare, or a scream of horror. No, this was a scream of pain, a very specific pain at that. It felt like I was having ten contractions piled up on top of each other, intensified by, like, a million. It was agonizing, and it didn't take long for the startled Deidara to get the picture.

"Sasori! Habiki, Samantha! Get in here, quick!" The blonde yelled, jumping off the side of the bed and throwing open the doors of the closet. The ones he called burst through the door, along with some extra guests. He took notice of this as he rummaged through the closet to find something. "I don't think a crowded room is going to make it much easier for her, un. Hidan, Kisame, Pein, and Tobi, out." He ordered with a solemn face. They did as told without question, leaving Sasori, Kakuzu, Itachi, Habiki and Samantha.

I bit my lip harshly, drawing blood as Deidara pulled something out of the closet. It looked to be a gurney as he propped it up in the middle of the room. Tears of pain were rolling uncontrollably down my face as Kakuzu and Deidara helped me onto it, lying on my back. When Sasori said the baby could be due in a couple days, I didn't think he meant this early. Still, I guess it was to be expected.

"Kakuzu, Itachi, go get some towels, un. Habiki and Samantha, get beside her. Sasori, prepare a numbing poison, un." Deidara ordered, quite professionally, I'd say. They all followed his commands flawlessly - Sam and Habiki kneeling on either side of the gurney and muttering "It'll be okay" over and over again. Kakuzu and Itachi hurried to the bathroom to get some towels, whilst Sasori was rummaging through his weapons pouch. Frankly, the term "numbing poison" didn't exactly set my nerves to ease, but I figured it wasn't harmful. Actually, I knew it wasn't harmful, or else Deidara wouldn't think of suggesting it.

Kakuzu and Itachi returned with the towels, passing on to Deidara who held it near my face.

"Bite down on this, un." He said, and I nodded, clamping my teeth onto the towel to muffle my unwanted screams and pitiful sobs. Then, Deidara dismissed Kakuzu and Itachi, although they left reluctantly. He took another towel and effortlessly scooted it under my rump, while Sasori finally pulled out a small needle full of green liquid.

"It'll just sting a little." He assured me as he injected it into the crook of my neck, where it met my shoulder. I nodded, not finding it particularly easy to say anything through the screams and towel. Then came the one part that I'd actually been dreading. No, I hadn't been scared of the pain birthing my baby girl would cause, or the effects the numbing poison would have on me. But I was embarrassed when Deidara took a pair of scissors and cut right through my pants.

I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to force down the incredibly red blush that burned my face. But I felt somewhat better when I felt the numbness begin to take over my body. Starting at my upper chest, and moving quickly down, I could no longer feel my body, which at least made it seem like I wasn't naked from the waist down. If I kept my eyes closed, that is.

"Don't worry, Naomi. Everything's going to be okay, un." Deidara assured me, though I refused to open my eyes and look at him, or anyone, for that matter. When my entire body became numb, I tried not to imagine what was going on around me. I could still hear Habiki and Sam trying to soothe me with their words, and Deidara barking orders at Sasori, but not being able to feel any of what they were doing made me uncomfortable.

Hesitantly, I cracked an eye open, only to see Sasori nearing a knife between my legs. My eyes went wide before slamming themselves shut permanently for the time being. I barely felt a thing, which was good, but still weird.

And then, suddenly, all the noise stopped. Differently paced breathing filled my ears, but I was not about to open my eyes now. Until, of course, a different sound reached me. And, believe me when I say this, it had to be the most angelic noise I'd ever heard in my entire life.

It was the sound of a baby - my baby - crying.

It wasn't a sad cry, though. It was more like a confused cry, as if she didn't know what was going on. And of course she didn't - she'd only known the inside of my stomach for the past week. And it had taken such a short time for her to grow. Of course she was confused. It was natural.

But it was that sound that finally compelled me to open my eyes, if only slightly. It only took the sight in front of me to open them completely, though. Sasori held her in his arms - a bloody blob of baby. A fantastic bloody blob of baby, mind you. A true miracle, that was her. I almost wanted to name her after the calling, but decided against it. After all, Deidara was right. Deiomi was a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. And that beautiful, magnificent girl belonged to me. Me and Deidara. Our little miracle.

"It's a girl alright." Sasori confirmed, setting her down gently on the stained towel. A blanket was thrown over me as Habiki and Sam helped me to sit up. I blinked at the sight in front of me, not sure how to comprehend something so amazing. There she was, at long last. I couldn't imagine having had to wait nine months for this child. Now that I thought about it, the week before was torture enough. How could I live without this girl? This beautiful little girl...

"Deiomi..." Deidara muttered, also staring at the little figurine before us. She already had tuffs of yellow hair, although I could not see her eyes yet.

"Yeah..." I replied, still gaping. "Can I...can I see her?" I asked tentatively, not taking my eyes off of her as I directed the question at Sasori. He nodded and stood, cradling her in his arms as he walked around to my side, passing her gently into my own arms.

I gasped a little at the feeling of holding her. She was so warm, so small and fragile. I couldn't fathom anything happening to her. And, as I used my thumb to wipe away some of the blood from her cheek, her eyes opened. Yet another stunning trait to add to her collection.

Her eyes were like a combination of mine and Deidara's. Bluer than the ocean, more timeless than the sky, and far beyond the very outer edges of space, reaching that thin line that divided humanity and angelic beings. She was far greater than anything a scientist could dream up, more precious than gold to the farmers, and just about everything I'd expected and more. She was...perfect.

Far too perfect, in fact, to be covered in the blood she'd been conceived in. "We need to get her cleaned up." I said calmly, still gazing at my baby girl's flawless features. Without a word, a wet cloth was handed to me, and I began to gently dab at her head, and then proceeded to the rest of her tiny, frail body. She didn't complain, not once, and was completely quiet as I finished wiping off most of the blood.

I just watched when she reached a petite hand up to cup my face. Images from the first dream I'd had of Orochimaru flashed in my mind, but only of this moment. Remembering that dream, I carefully took her hand in my own and lowered it to examine it. Sure enough, a tentative little tongue was poking out of the gums in the mouth of her hand, and I smiled. Honestly, she resembled Deidara more than me, but I didn't mind. He himself was a god-like being, which only added to her omnipresent beauty.

"We'll be waiting outside." Habiki said quietly, nodding for the others to head out. She gave me an approving smile as she closed the door, leaving me alone with my family. Yes, my family, I could say that now. We were a happy little family, no matter how small. Size didn't matter when it came to things like this. It was the love in our hearts that was directed solely at Deiomi for the time being.

"You did good, un." Deidara said, crouching beside me to reach up and stroke Deiomi's soft, pudgy face.

"I wouldn't have been able to do anything if it weren't for you." I told him with a smile. He returned it, and kissed me deeply on the lips before turning back to our baby. He didn't have to ask in order for me to gingerly hand her over to him.

He held her in his arms like the most valuable thing in the world. And she was, to us at least. Our little akachan was priceless in every sense. I was absolutely certain she'd grow up to be a wonderful young girl, and that Deidara thought the same.

"I'm gonna take a shower and get dressed real quick." I said quietly, not being able to suppress my loving smile as I gave Deiomi a quick kiss on the head before getting up to look for some clothes. I was in a hurry to get back to them, so I just picked out some scrubs and hurried to the bathroom. I only showered long enough to get all the blood off, then quickly dried off and got dressed. Deidara had moved to the bed, murmuring soft, sweet things to Deiomi, looking up when I returned.

I sat next to him, leaning my head on his shoulder as I started stroking her soft yellow tufts. I nearly fell asleep myself when he started rocking her gently, the soothing motion causing her tiny blue eyes to flutter closed. She brought her thumb up to her mouth, and sucked on it gently, making me smile widely again.

Trying not to make any noise or to jostle her, I laid out a small blanket and he set her into it gently, both of us moving expertly to wrap it securely around her. Not a moment later, the door opened quietly and Habiki came in with a smile, rolling a divine crib in front of her. Samantha followed soon after with baby-sized pillows and clothes and blankets and such.

All four of us set her up in the crib, placing it strategically next to the bed as we set the clothes on top of the dresser to be used later. Sam was the first to speak up after a moment of simply watching mine and Dei's akachan sleep.

"She's beautiful, I can see that much." She said, giving me a friendly pat on the shoulder. "She takes after you." I rolled my eyes.

"Are you kidding? Deidara's the one with the looks." I said modestly, causing him to chuckle.

"Well, I won't deny that, but she's right, un." He said, winking his eye playfully. "You're both beautiful. The only things that can compare to each other, un." He said, making my face flush. He chuckled and pulled me in for a hug, kissing me on top of my head. "I don't know what I expected, but I can say the outcome is satisfying, un. Thank you." He murmured softly into my ear. I furrowed my brows a little.

"For what?" I asked in confusion, wondering what I'd done to make him thank me.

"For carrying our child, dummy." He said teasingly, and I chuckled a little. Oh yeah, that.

"Yeah, I guess I was pretty good, wasn't I?" I agreed sarcastically. He smiled and kissed me passionately on the lips, making Sam and Habiki giggle off to the side. I narrowed my eyes playfully at them.

"Don't tell me you two are friends now?" I asked skeptically, turning my head slightly to the side. They immediately stopped snickering and took huge steps away from each other.

"Of course not." Sam said, at the same time Habiki said, "What a ridiculous notion." That had them looking at each other with narrowed eyes, but then they smiled and hugged each other regardless. "Hey, you're not so bad, I'll admit." Sam said finally as they pulled away.

"You either, I guess." Habiki agreed, albeit reluctantly. Sam rolled her eyes and turned her smile on me.

"We'll let you two, uh...get things sorted out, I guess. Bye!" She said quietly, so as not to wake Deiomi. She and Hanabira shuffled out silently, closing the door without a sound and leaving us alone again.

"So...what do we do now?" I asked, hooking my arms around Deidara's neck. He pretended to think for a moment.

"Well, we could always celebrate, un." He suggested with a smirk. I tilted my head to the side.

"And how do you propose we do that?" I asked knowingly. He chuckled a little.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe a bottle or two of wine, a private room..." He trailed off as he took my chin and brushed his lips against mine. "You, me...a bed." I chuckled, but the sound was immediately lost in his lips as he kissed me, holding me close.

"I like the sound of that..." I said, nibbling lightly on his lower lip. He moaned slightly and gave in quickly, allowing me to infiltrate his mouth, our tongues engaging in a passionate dance. But a knock on the door made us both sigh and pull back, breathing heavily.

"Now who in the world could that be, un?" Deidara asked rhetorically as he went to answer it irritatedly. I just giggled and sat on the bed, waiting.

* * *

**Okay, I cannot be the only one who was waiting for this. All those other chapters were only building up to this moment, the moment that decides EVERYTHING. Beware, little stalkers, because now the ****_real_**** fun starts...**

**Mwahahahahahahaha!**


	74. Chapter 74

I tried not to stumble as Deidara pulled me along by my hand, fatigue of not getting enough sleep wearing me down as we darted around abandoned cars and lept over huge cracks in the road pavement. It was worrying enough that I couldn't be sure Deiomi was safe, even though Itachi and Kisame promised to protect both her and Habiki with their lives. While that made me have conflicted emotions, I couldn't help but believe them.

"We have to move faster, un! It's catching up to us!" Deidara yelled, glancing back with a vigilant eye. As if on cue, a string of explosions sounded behind us, and I figured it had blown up a bunch of cars we'd recently passed.

"Cut me a break! I don't usually run out into a ruined city in the middle of the night while a...whatever that thing is chases me!" I shouted back annoyedly, still pretty peeved about the intrusion. I mean, honestly, what kind of ninja sends a fucking arsenal of humanoid-snake-men knocking at a bedroom door at two o'clock in the morning? Oh right. That would be Orochimaru!

"Use your chakra, damnit!" Deidara ordered angrily. I rolled my eyes and huffed, but did as he said. Deciding I wasn't entirely too happy with his newfound control, I sped ahead of him, beginning to drag him behind me. "Hey, wait a second, un!" He complained as I felt his body jerk and spasm in odd ways as he now had the difficulty of maneuvering the streets.

"Not a chance, Blondie. Now move!" I ordered back, pulling him along. Right on time, an array of bullets flew past us, lighting up the gas tank of a car just a few yards ahead. I cursed under my breath and cut a sudden turn around the street corner, feeling the air of the explosion on my back as we narrowly avoided the real bad stuff.

I bet you're wanting an explanation right about now. Okay, well, you see, when Deidara opened the door to see who was knocking, we got a BIG wake-up call. So, apparently, Orochimaru had created some sort of giant hybrid snake that could kind of make little person-sized copies of itself armed with guns and military gear. Yeah, I don't know either. Anyway, about twenty snake-men were chasing us, led by an even bigger snake that has a machine gun for a tail. Looks like Orochimaru can adapt fairly quickly.

Moving on, Kisame and Itachi took Deiomi and Habiki somewhere safe while we distracted the snake arsenal, and the others ran off somewhere else with Samantha and, frankly, I have no idea where they are or if they're okay. The plan was to try and lose the army and round the street corners back to Habiki's mansion, where everyone should meet up.

"Naomi, in here, un!" Deidara suddenly yelled, pulling me aside as soon as we got around another corner. He pulled me into a small book shop, worriedly flipping the "open" sign to "closed" before leading me back behind the front counter and into the manager's lobby. There was a back door, but we hunkered down in a corner and waited as the sounds of many feet marched by the shop.

A couple stopped outside the building, and we listened as the heavy body of Daddy snake slithered by, the machine gun screeching along the road as it was dragged behind. I happened to glance out an upper window, only to see its head about fifty feet in the air, yellow eyes glancing around vigilantly. The few that stayed behind followed a moment later, looking more like *Homoreptilia rather than snakes.

"Okay, I think it's safe to move, un." Deidara whispered, gently nudging me toward the back door. I crawled over and unlocked it, biting my lip to stay quiet as I turned the creaky knob. I glanced back at Deidara, waiting for his nod before opening the door. I was about to crawl out, but several pairs of booted feet stopped me.

I slowly looked up to meet the slitted eyes of the snake-men, all of whom were pointing dangerous looking guns right at my face. I blinked, then laughed nervously, stealthily slipping my hand back towards the stunned Deidara. "Hey, wanna hear a joke?" I asked hopefully, confusing them for a moment. I counted them quickly. "Five snake soldiers walk into a bar...wanna know what the bartender says?" They shrugged, making me want to laugh at their ignorance. "Boom." They tilted their heads to the side, but didn't have time to hiss at me or something before they were blown backwards by the clay bomb Deidara handed me. "And then he says run!" I said, taking the blonde's hand and dashing out the door, jumping over the stunned snake-men bodies as we headed for the street.

But as we turned the next corner, we faced the rattler itself and its fleet of Homoreptilia. We froze as the machine gun tail whirred loudly, lifting to face us as the snake-men readied their guns. I put my hands up, coaxing Deidara to do the same.

"Guess it wasn't that good of a joke, huh?" I said teasingly, glancing back as the five from before blocked a back way out. I sighed. "Guess I'll just have to find a new punch line." I said, glancing up at the darkened sky. "Soon." I waited, hoping I was stalling them, too. I cleared my throat when nothing happened. "Incredibly soon. Like, in the next few seconds would be great." I said, probably confusing the hell out of Deidara right now.

And then I heard it, the roaring of an engine. The flying vehicle flew over head, dropping a few bombs along the way. Those took out a good number of snake-men, and surprised the big snake a bunch. I grinned and fist-pumped the air.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about!" I yelled happily. Deidara caught me off guard with a huge hug.

"How the hell did you know that was coming, un?" He asked, looking me incredulously in the eye. I laughed and shrugged my shoulders.

"I didn't." I admitted. "But that kind of stuff always happens. I just wish I knew who it was." I said, squinting my eyes as the plane came back around. A body jumped out of the hull, releasing a small parachute on the way down. We took a couple steps back as the person landed in front of us, removing some flying gear. I furrowed my brows, then my eyes went wide. "Tsuriyure!" I squealed happily, glomping him as soon as I recognized him. He laughed and hugged back.

"Long time no see, Naomi. Leave it to you to make a mess like this." He said, pulling back to grin at me.

"What are you doing here? I mean, not that I'm not glad to see you, but aren't you supposed to be in Italy?" I asked, still trying to take it all in. I hadn't seen him in what seemed like ages. Man, he grew up cute. He wore a fitting red plaid, short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans and red, white and black Jordans. He had his dark brown hair all done up in a sort of swayed faux-hawk, and his eyes were just as golden as his sister's.

"We got back early and Hanabira gave me another call. Filled me in on the basics, so I took it upon myself to get a few of my dad's old army buddies to help out." He said, glancing up at the plane that was still bombing the snake-men. "That would be them." He said, pointing out the obvious.

"You are a life saver. Seriously, I don't know where I'd be without you." I said truthfully, laughing and hugging him again. I realized he'd gotten taller than me, but I didn't mind too much. But Deidara clearing his throat behind us made me turn around and smile at him. "Oh, that's right, you two haven't been acquainted yet." I said jokingly, stepping back to gesture at each of them in turn. "Deidara, this is Tsuriyure, Habiki's brother. Tsuriyure, this is Deidara...of the Akatsuki." I said, having to bite back another squeal as they shook hands.

"Wow, never thought I'd see the day..." Tsuri said in awe. "Big fan, really big fan. Like...wow." He said, kind of flustering a little. I patted his shoulder.

"Okay, don't go all fanboy on me now. We still got some business to take care of." I said, nodding at the giant snake, which was pointing its machine gun tail at the aircraft and firing relentlessly.

"Right. The mansion's this way, un." Deidara said, beckoning us to follow him as he dodged out of sight around a building. We did so and ran across the backyards of a few ruined houses. The mansion came into view just a few moments later, and others were already gathered near the front.

The thing is...they were gathered around something.

* * *

**Alrighty, sorry about the long wait, but I was without internet for a while and, clearly, nearly died. Anyway, I hope this chapter makes up for it, because I still need to write more ;P**

***Homoreptilia - A hypothesized race of early humanoid creatures that take on the body structure of a human, but have reptilian characteristics. The best description I can give of them is the ones from Doctor Who.**

**And, that is all.**


	75. Chapter 75

A deep feeling of dread immediately coursed through me, and I felt like I couldn't move for a second. But it was the same dread that had me sprinting past both of them to reach the group. I shoved through the wall they'd formed to see Sasori crouched over someone. I couldn't see most of the body, just the familiar red and white converse shoes. They weren't moving.

Sasori stood and turned to face me, but my eyes instantly glued themselves to the slack-jawed face of my best friend. Her eyes were wide open, and her chest showed no movement. "I'm sorry." Was all Sasori said, putting a gentle hand on my shoulder before moving past me. I fell to my knees on the spot, unable to stop staring at the lifeless body of Samantha Shell.

There was a small bloodied hole in her chest, right where her heart should have been. I didn't even notice the tears that flooded down my face. My mind went blank, and all I could register was the deep, crushing sadness as I realized what must've happened. I crawled to her side, cupping her smooth cheek, feeling how ice cold her skin was. I didn't want to accept it, I wouldn't. Samantha had stuck with me through thick and thin ever since I met her. She was brave and bright and everything I could have ever asked for in a friend. I never cared about what she wore or how she acted or what she said. She was my best friend and I couldn't lose her. I just couldn't.

I broke down completely then, my vision blinded by my own tears as I sobbed over her body. Habiki had handed Deiomi to Deidara unharmed. Everyone else had escaped with no sort of injury. Except for Samantha. Why? Why did she have to die? I knew it seemed like an impossible question, but why couldn't everyone just live so I didn't have to feel like this? Why put me through so much pain?

But this wasn't about me. This was never about me. It was about Deiomi, and the power she possessed. I knew it just as well as everyone else did. It's what Orochimaru was after, and I just got in the way. And yet, everyone around me got hurt and I couldn't stop any of it. I was useless, just as Pein had said. A useless burden who has not earned the privilege of wielding chakra. He'd been right all along.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Someone asked as a couple pairs of feet jogged up to us. It was Hidan's voice, and I remembered that he and Kakuzu had been absent from the gathered group. They must've been out distracting the army or something while Samantha was -

"Hidan, you shouldn't, un." Deidara said, probably trying to keep the Jashinist at bay. This, of course, only made him more curious.

"What? What the hell happened?" Hidan asked as I heard him shove through whoever was blocking him. He stopped behind me, his steps coming to an abrupt halt. "Wh-who is that?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"Hidan, maybe you should just -" He cut Kisame off.

"Tell me whose body that is!" He yelled, suddenly enraged. Nobody answered, so he growled and walked around to the other side of Samantha's corpse, where I still sat hunkered down, bawling silently. "Oh my...oh my Jashin. Samantha!" He exclaimed as he crouched down, putting his hands on her shoulders. "What's wrong with her? What the fuck happened?!" He asked, desperate for an answer, clearly intentionally looking over the obvious wound in her chest.

"Be quiet, Hidan! You're not the only one mourning for her, un." Deidara said, referring to me. The tears still flowed heavily down my face, but I was just looking at her now, the impossible truth sinking in.

"No...no, this...this can't be happening! She's gonna be fine! You hear me? She's gonna be fine!" He yelled, his voice cracking on the last word. He pulled her onto his lap, and I just sat and watched. It was amazing, seeing him like this. His own tears trickled down his face, though he tried valiantly to stop them. Hidan crying was...like nothing I'd ever seen. Hidan just...didn't cry, it was a simple fact. Or it had been, until now.

The silence that gathered around us was nearly unbearable, but I, too, remained quiet, listening solemnly to Hidan's sobs, which replaced the absence of my own. It became clear to me then...that Hidan had loved her. I wasn't sure if he accepted it himself, but it was apparent to everyone else now, in this time of great sorrow. Hidan, the faithful Jashinist that lived to kill, had fallen in love with a mere mortal who didn't even reside in his world. It was history being made, I was sure.

His tears trailed down his face, a few falling from his chin and landing on Samantha's. They fell down her own face as if she, too, were crying. Light thunder rumbled overhead, but no one paid attention to the oncoming storm. It wasn't important, unlike Samantha.

"Jashin help her..." Hidan murmured under his breath, but only I was close enough to hear. "Please, bring her back..." He pleaded to his God, still holding her body close. It was useless, I knew, but I appreciated the effort, no matter how small. He was willing to plead to his God, a supposed being of death and evil, to bring back the life of a mortal who didn't even believe in Jashin. Or, at least that's what I'd come to believe.

But at that moment, my eyes caught something. A small glint of something around her neck. And, for some reason, it seemed insistently important that I found out what it was. I reached forward out of the blue, seeming to surprise everyone as I took hold of the chain I found around her neck. I gaped as I pulled the necklace out from under her shirt, where she'd apparently been hiding it.

We all gasped lightly at the revealed Jashin symbol. Even Hidan was surprised. But our shock was nothing compared to the sudden hope we saw in our eyes as we looked at each other.

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**Sorry, short chapter, but that's what you get for not leaving any reviews on the last chapter T_T**

**Still, I'll try to update more often. I'm really just kinda bored and can't think of anything, but now that I've got this I think I'll be a little more active. Anyway, kakunin shite kudasai!**


	76. Chapter 76

Our movements were simultaneous and coordinated perfectly, as if our minds were working together and on the same level of thinking. Hidan picked Samantha up and we ran to the mansion, with me opening the door to let him in without stopping his sprint. I could sense the others' confusion as he laid her down on the decorative, yet sturdy, coffee table of Habiki's living room. But as soon as they were all in, I herded them to the kitchen and closed the doors to shut the living room off. I then started pacing anxiously as Hidan set up whatever ritual he was about to do.

For millionth time in my life, I thanked Samantha for keeping so many secrets from me. I knew there were things she didn't want to tell me, and she still hasn't, but this was one of those things and goddamnit it'd better work.

I bit on my nails as Hidan sat cross-legged at the head of the table, holding his pendant up to his face and closing his eyes, murmuring inaudible things under his breath. He'd lit four candles around the immediate area, and positioned Samantha so that her arms were comfortable at her side, her legs straight, and her head facing up. He'd also taken the liberty of closing her eyes, which I was thankful for.

But then, Hidan began to raise his voice, little by little. I began to hear his words halfway through the apparent prayer. "...and bless it upon this girl for all that I am worth. I give my life, my soul, and my very immortality to bring her back by the hands of Lord Jashin. May his very breath breathe life into her stone cold body and resurrect which has fallen by unnecessary means." He opened his eyes then, and I jumped a little when I saw the light in them. And I didn't mean metaphorically, either. No, his eyes were literally glowing as he continued to speak, and I could swear I felt a sudden draft in here. "As it was then it shall be now, to bring life at the dying breath, call upon power of the stars that bow, and undo time of uncalled for death."

I felt as if his words vibrated within me, touching my very soul with their power and meaning. The draft got stronger, and turned into a full gust, lifting papers around the room and causing the candles' flames to flicker uncontrollably.

I honestly didn't know what to think when Samantha's eyes flew open. Except they were glowing so brightly that I couldn't look into them, as well as her mouth. I had to shield my own eyes from the brightness, therefore not really seeing the rest that followed. I turned back right away when the light died down, and my jaw fell slack from surprise.

Her skin was no longer that freckled, pale sheet it once was. A black and white pattern had covered the visible parts of her body, one I recognized well from a certain episode. And it was all worth it as her long since dead eyes flickered open as if she'd just woken up from a deep sleep.

I'd never felt so happy in my life.

_*Somewhere in the country*_

The phone rang, and a frail old woman shuffled across her household to answer it. She waved away one of the boys that were constantly working at her home, who was about to answer it. She picked it up herself and held it up to her face.

"Yes, heller?" She asked in a weak, slightly wheezy voice.

"Yes, is this Judy Itei? Grandmother of Naomi Itei?" The person on the other line asked.

"Why, yes, this is her. How can I hep yew?" She asked politely, shifting her denchers around in her mouth to get them situated.

"This is Child Services calling on account of some information we've recently come into. It has come to our attention that Naomi is no longer residing within your household. Is this true?" The man asked. Judy froze, then sighed deeply. She knew this was going to happen.

"Yes, I'm afraid it is true. Naomi's been living on her own fer seven years now, I'll have yew know." She said sternly, waving the cane she was carrying around for unseen emphasis. "She's a fine young woman and deserves to be treated as such. Now, if yew have any problems with this, I suggest yew take yer tight little -" He cut her off.

"Now, ma'am, we have nothing against you or your decisions. But the information we were delivered has also brought to light a disturbing situation." He said, silencing her for the moment. "It seems that a group of men has taken refuge with her, and have been reported of a large amount of physical abuse. I hope you understand the importance of this situation." He said. She froze again, but this time in shock. Then she fumed, breathing noisily through her nostrils.

"Yew mean to tell me mah grandbaby's bein' abused by stranger men?" She asked angrily, nearly growling at the reply from the man. "That's it, then. I'm headin' over there right now. I'll give yew her address." She said as she began to relay the information to the Child Services. She would not allow something so revolting to happen to her only grandchild.

_*Somewhere else near Naomi's home*_

Jacob was heading out with a proud little smirk on his face. He'd told his mom he was going down the street to visit his friend, but he was actually going to wait at Naomi's house and watch her get her ass handed to her. And those cosplay losers could kiss their sorry asses when they got arrested for "rape". Jeez, she probably wouldn't even call it that, being the little slut she was. Hell, given her delusional mind, she probably believed they were the real Akatsuki! Would not put it past her.

But he began to become confused as he neared the neighborhood he knew she lived in. It started out as a few cracks in the road, but then grew into massive trenches ripped in the ground, buildings crushed and demolished by what seemed to be brutal means. He froze when he caught sight of her house.

What were those..._things_? They looked like people, but they most certainly weren't. They had snake-like skin and eyes, and their faces even stretched out like one. Forked tongues flicked in and out of their muzzles, as if they were tasting the air like snakes, too. They were dressed in military gear and held dangerous looking guns. They surrounded her house, going in and out every second as if they were searching for something.

But what really scared him shitless was the huge monstrosity sniffing around the woods across the street from her house, which had broken windows and demolished doors. It was most definitely a huge snake, but with a machine gun for a tail, kind of like a rattler. Its scales gleamed in the moonlight, though they looked more like metal rather than regular plates. Its eyes flashed around vigilantly, still searching for whatever it was they were trying to find. It wasn't hard to figure out, though. Whatever those things were, they were looking for Naomi. And he was damn sure they weren't the FBI or CIA or whoever it was he'd called.

Just then, the cars from said organization showed up in front of her house, instantly drawing the attention of the creatures. A couple of the drivers had enough sense to book it, the tires screeching as they spun around and drove off at top speed. But one stayed, and that was the car that the woman he knew as Naomi's grandmother got out of.

"Are these the people yew was talkin' 'bout?" She asked, squinting her eyes as she got right up in one of the snake-men's face. It coiled its head back in surprise, flicking its tongue out wildly as it hissed venomously.

"Uh, no, I don't believe so. They were described as wearing black cloaks with red clouds." Said a man as he also got out of the car. "I don't think you should get too close to them." He warned. She wrinkled her nose and shuffled back to the man.

"Darn tutin' I shouldn't. Honestly, I have a reason not to use skin care, but these little boogers need it." She said with distaste. Then she raised her cane, seeming to alarm the snake-men as they raised their guns. "Hey, now don't yew raise them weapons at me, you little whipper-snappers. My goodness, how rude. Now what yew done with mah grandbaby?!" She asked sternly, seeming to surprise the snake-man in front. More joined it, gathering by the front door, but not daring to approach the courageous woman.

"Ma'am, I don't think it's wise to provoke them. They're armed." The man warned again, trying to tug her back to the car. She yanked her arm from his grasp.

"I ain't blind! I can see they're armed, ya twit!" She yelled annoyedly before wobbling up to the same one as before. "Now yew tell me what yew done with mah grandchild and I won't use this on ya." She threatened, waving her cane around. The snake-man shuddered and dropped his gun, turning to run back in Naomi's house. The rest followed suit and disappeared inside. She turned back to the suited man. "What'd I do?" She asked in confusion.

Just then, the giant snake from before caught sight of her, and hissed loudly for everyone to hear. Jacob gaped with wide eyes as it approached them, clearly scaring the man shitless. "I-I think we should g-go now." He advised, opening the door to his car. She narrowed her eyes.

"Boy, yew need to quit that thinkin', else yew gonna blow a gasket." She said irritably. He shook his head and ran over to the driver's side.

"Lady, you're crazy!" He yelled before hopping in and driving off. Jacob watched as he drove past him, but the snake was having none of that. It revolved the machine gun on its tail before firing one large bullet at the vehicle, sending it up in flames. Naomi's grandma whistled hoarsely.

"Damn, boy, yew got good aim!" She commented, making Jacob look at her incredulously. The snake curled its reptilian lips up, blowing off the smoke from its tail-gun as if in pride. "Yew got some fancy lookin' scales there, too. Now where does a fella get somethin' like those?" She asked. He could have sworn the snake purred at the praise, lowering its head to her level. She laughed and reached a fearless hand out to pat its muzzle, and it closed its eyes happily. "Heh heh, that a good boy. Now why don't yew take me to mah grandbaby, hmm?" She suggested. The snake wiggled its body as it dropped its head completely to the ground. She used some upraised rocks to crawl atop its head.

Then it slithered off, leaving a huge trail in its path as it went further into town. Jacob just stood there in awe, looking around to see if anyone else had witnessed that. Nope, only him. Great, now if he tried telling people, they'd think he was as crazy as Naomi. Or her grandmother.

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**Okay, I don't know about you, but I think I did pretty damn good on Judy. Like, come on, who does that?**

**Anyway, there's the next chapter. I don't know how long it'll take for me to finish the next one. Just hang tight and love Judy.**


	77. Goodbye!

**May I have your attention please. I repeat, may I have your attention please. Will the real slim-**

**No. Anyway, I have an announcement to make. As of now, this story belongs to Lady of Epic and Awesomeness. That's right, she has adopted this story and it no longer belongs to me. I am suffering severe writer's block and cannot continue this story. Habiki Soyokaze rightfully belongs to Lady of Epic and Awesomeness as well, which is why I chose her to hand it over to. Please don't be alarmed, she has great ideas planned for this story, and I just know she'll do a great job with it :)**

**I apologize for those of you who are against this, for whatever reason. But I feel like it's the right thing to do, because I know I'll wind up messing it up sooner or later. So, without further ado, goodbye "A Fleeting Feeling". It has been a pleasure writing this story and getting all the positive reviews. You guys are the best :)**

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**And now, for a few Fun Facts:**

**1: The original title of this story was supposed to be "A Fleeting Fate", but when I made up the acronym "AFF", I made the mistake of calling it "A Fleeting Feeling"**

**2: Naomi's character was based off of my own personnel, just as her grandmother was based off of my own, but the latter's personality was altered in order to assist the story.**

**3: Jacob and Samantha are both friends of mine. Jacob is my ex (2xs), but we are good friends now. Samantha's my anime-freak BFF :)**

**4: Hanabira Soyokaze (Lady of Epic and Awesomeness's character) was supposed to be named Soyokaze Hanabira, but I messed up and put the last name first.**

**5: My original intent was to make this story a one-to-five-shot about Deidara coming through a portal to our universe and meeting the OC, Naomi. But then I got the idea of having them all show up, thus leading to the story at hand.**


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